The Crow: Dragons Rising
by Resistance Zero
Summary: Ranma has died at the hands of his enemies, and misery and sorrow are left in his path. Yet given the chance, can he somehow make the wrong things right again?
1. A Fallen Hero

Authors Forward: HEllo there.  
Before you get any bright ideas, I don't own the materials below. They are simply a product of my imagination, and I do not challange their copyrights. I am not trying to make money off of them, so please do not sue me. As for the story itself, it is all mine, so if you try to steal it, I will find you. Just remember that.   
  
  
  
  
The Crow 1/2: Dragons Rising  
By Dark Angel 98s  
  
In the end, he did not die, as any of them would have expected; far from it in fact. He died silently, on his knees, the last words out of his mouth being his pleas for them to leave her alone. But in the end, it had not mattered, as it never does in such situations. And he had died, not as he had lived, with great sorrow, and much regret.  
  
They say, that if a person's soul carries enough sadness and misery with it, they cannot rest peacefully on the other side. And if that person's grief is powerful enough, if there devotion is strong enough, then they can be carried back from the lands of the dead upon the wings of deaths messenger, to set the wrong things right...  
  
  
  
Part One: The Fallen Hero  
  
One Year Ago...  
Nabiki Tendo had paid dearly for this entire affair. More than she had been willing to, in the beginning, for someone not truly a part of the family. But Akane had insisted. Actually, she had done a lot more than insist. She still wore the bruises from where her wheelchair bound sibling had grabbed her, and came close to breaking her arm. Speaking of her beloved sister, she turned to look over at the youngest Tendo.   
  
Akane was much changed by the ordeal she and Ranma had been through. They ran much deeper than the injuries to her face, or the damage to her spine that would keep her from walking ever again. Those events, from just a little less than two weeks ago had scarred her deeply to the core, breaking her heart and soul. Just seeing the sad creature that sat between her father and oldest sister almost brought tears to her eyes. And Nabiki knew that there could be no revenge for what had transpired, no retribution. They had made sure of that when they had taken care of the deed, the last person who was willing to stand up to the madness had died trying to save the poor injured girl here today. For that reason alone, Nabiki had taken the requests of Akane, and added her own flair, making this perhaps one of the most beautiful funerals any of those present would ever attend. IF only Ranma could be here to see it now...  
  
The Saotomes stood across the way, side by side, arms in arm. Nodoka Saotome stood proud and tall, looking every bit the noble samurai, dressed in a beautiful black silk Kimono and light pull over. Her husband, the often weak willed and foolish Genma Saotome looked, for once, strong and powerful, every bit the man he could have been had he not been trapped under Happosai's 'training'. Nabiki did not know how he had changed from the sobbing wreck he had been earlier today, but had a sneaking suspicion that it was a mixture of desire to do the just thing for his son just this once, and the bottle of Sake Kasumi had given his shortly before they had left the house. And he was doing it, being strong for his son.   
  
Nabiki's gaze turned to follow across all the others present, so very few of the old Nerima group here, because of the rift in the group. There was Ukyo, who had been a surprise to every one present, especially since almost everyone here believed her to have something to do with the whole affair. But Akane had stopped their father and Genma from physically throwing her out of the graveyard. Her words had been simple and expressed a far more rational mind than anyone believed Akane would have, after what had happened. "She has lost more than I have, both her best friend, and someone who she had loved dearly. She would never have allowed this to happen, no matter what. Let her grieve..."  
  
Next, she found herself looking at Ryoga and Akari, who both held each other close, Akari looking down at the cold, black lacquered coffin, Ryoga watching Akane with something like sadness in his eyes. It looked like the Eternally Lost Boy had finally made his choice, and went with the girl who actually had feelings for him. However, if Nabiki ever found out it had been for other reasons, she cast a quick glance at Akane, then he would regret it most severely.  
  
Only a few of the rest had even bothered to show up, Doctor Tofu, Miss Hinako, and some of Ranma and Akane's closer friends from school. None of the others would have even been welcome here. Not now, not ever.   
  
Nabiki's examination of the gathered group was brought to an end, when the priest finished speaking over the coffin, which was shut due to the fact that it was not possible to show the remains of the young Saotome, so awful were the injuries. The priest, who Ranma and crew had helped to catch an escaped Oni, stepped back, and motioned for those present to say their final words over the deceased.   
  
Ryoga was the first to step forward, pulling free of Akari's arm, and moved to stand before his one great rival. He looked down at the coffin; face a dark mask of pain. "I-I-I-...I just wanted to say, that despite all that I went through because of him, all the pain, all the embarrassment, there was no one I would rather have at my side. He was a better person than I ever allowed myself to see, and despite everything I tried to do to him, he still counted me as his friend." He seemed lost for a moment, unable to find any further words, but after a moment of floundering, mouth working over what he wanted to say, he spoke again, voice low and quite. "I wish I had been there, instead of lost. I heard what they were going to do, and tried... Oh god, how I tried to get there in time. But I couldn't... If I had only been able to, this wouldn't have happened... I could have stopped it. I should have been able to..." A faint aura had begun to form around him, glowing ever so faintly a dark, sickly green. Nabiki recognized it as the buildup for his Shi-Shi Hakodan, but before the powerful depression attack could begin in full, Akari moved to wrap an arm around him, and hug him close. Ryoga returned the hug briefly, using the time to regain his composure. When he turned back around, looking down at the grave, he seemed a lot calmer, and the aura had gone. "I will miss you Ranma. I wish I had gotten a chance to return your friendship. Here... Take this." Moved over, and took his bamboo umbrella where it rested next to his seat, and returned, laying it gently atop the oak wood box. "Maybe it'll help you more than it helped me." He smiled faintly. "Ya stupid jerk..." He turned and walked away, then, not looking back, Akari hanging on him. He was trying to hide it, but Nabiki saw the tear that slid down his cheek.  
  
The next to move forwards was Ukyo. Her eyes were a dark red, and her cheeks were tear stained, and looked to have been that way for some time. She looked different, no longer wearing the okonomiyaki uniform she was so known for, but in its place was a simple one-piece black dress, cut too loose for her. Despite how Nabiki felt about the girl, there was a sudden pang of sadness for the girl. Her world had been destroyed just as badly as Akane's had, and for the first time, she doubted the young chef did actually have anything to do with the attack.   
  
She moved up to the edge of the grave, looking down, yet her eyes showed that she really was looking somewhere else, somewhere deeper. When she spoke, Nabiki had to strain to hear her soft, low, hoarse voice. "Ran-chan. There is not a lot for me to say, I haven't already said to you so many times already. I don't know if I can go on, without you here. But...but I will try. Because I know you would want me to." She paused for just a moment, before continuing, the tears beginning to fall from her eyes again. "I will always love you, Ranma. Always..." With that she stepped back, and cried silently.  
  
The next few were not of much importance, mostly friends, who told quick, and amusing remembrances of how Ranma had been a good friend, and had brightened all there lives just a tad. They had never really known him, but they tried. Maybe even some of them would truly miss him, but she doubted it. And once they were done, it was time for his parents to speak.  
  
They both moved forward together, arm in arm, the death of their son having brought them closer together than they had been in years. Nodoka remained silent, as was the proper thing for a wife to do, instead letting her husband express the feelings both shared. Genma himself remained calm and in control, smiling sadly at all those present. When his spoke, his voice carried loud and firm, and a distinct note of pride.  
  
"Today we are hear to lay to rest, my son..." He glanced over to his wife, "OUR son. Ranma was someone special in this world, someone unique. While he had many faults; too much pride, too little common sense, and a tendency to stick both feet into his mouth at every opportunity; he also had many strengths. Honorable, skilled, devoted to his craft, devoted to his friends and family. These things made him truly stand out, for I raised him, and trained him in the way I was trained, and I am surely lacking in all of these things. Some how, he managed to grow into the man he did, a great man. A man we could all be proud of knowing, a man that could not have made his mother and I any more proud." He started to crack then, as the emotions of the moment began to take over, and his wife started to pull him away, but he held his ground, and somehow managed to hold his composure. "I want all of you to remember him like that. Because, despite all his faults, you will never in your lives meet another as good, and true, and noble as he." And with that, the tears came; yet somehow his face did not change, and he stopped resisting as his wife lead him back to their seats. Nabiki decided then and there, that this moment was perhaps the most noble in the older, broke martial artists life, and she found that she had a good deal of respect for the man now.  
  
The last one she expected to speak was Akane. Much to her surprise, when Kasumi and their father whispered to her, Akane shook her head, and whispered back. Nodding, they both rose, Kasumi beginning to disperse the gathered mourners, and Soun moving over to speak with the Saotomes. It took very little time for everyone to leave, even Ukyo, who was gently ushered off by Kasumi herself. Soon, no one was left standing there, except for the Tendo's. Both Soun and Kasumi began to walk off, back towards the car, and gestured for Nabiki to follow. She cast a look back at her now crippled sister, sitting there silently in her wheel chair, face downcast, so still that she too seemed dead, before following.   
  
"Why are we leaving her there? Why wouldn't she speak?" Nabiki was more than a little confused, considering how much they had all gone through to make this perfect.   
  
Soun stopped them, just a little over halfway to the car. He looked into her eyes, a deep sadness filling their dark blue depths. "She told us that what she has to say to him is private. Not for anyone but, her, Ranma, and God to hear. We will honor her request." They all three turned their heads, to look back at the open grave, it's tall shining gray headstone, and their grieving sister and daughter.  
  
  
  
  
Akane sat quietly, not moving or speaking for a very long time. But when she did, it was to reach up slowly, and touch the huge bandage that covered the left side of her face. Kodachi Kuno had caused the cuts there, all deep and ragged, in a fit of madness so great that it still sent shivers across her body. If it had not been for Ranma's intervention, she would most likely be lying where he was now. He had come to her aid, as always, even against so many skilled fighters, fearless and skilled. But in the end, he too had fallen to them. It was then that events had fallen out of control, into chaos, and he met his end, still trying to protect her from harm. And in the end, he had succeeded.  
  
"Ranma, you idiot. Why? Why did you risk your life for mine? You had a chance to escape, but instead, you stayed, and begged for my life. I didn't want you to. I never ask you to protect me. Why, out of all the times you have been selfish, couldn't you do it one last time?" Tears began to stream down her cheek, but she ignored it, for the moment.  
  
"Was it honor? Did you die trying, because you couldn't leave a girl to be hurt?" Her voice was rising as she spoke now, as anger rose in her. It was a familiar emotion, and one that often lent her strength. "WAS IT PRIDE? DID YOU REALLY THINK YOU COULD BEAT THEM ALL YOURSELF?" Her weakened body shook with the motions she was feeling. "OR WAS IT........ love?" Her voice dropped to no more than a whisper at the end, and the tears somehow seemed to come with even more volume. "Did you try to save me because, after all the times you denied it, you actually loved me?" And she just sat there weeping; great sobs tearing forth from her. She had no idea how long she stayed like that, but her family did as they were asked, and stayed back, giving her time.  
  
When the crying was over, many long minutes later, and she finally regained her voice to speak, she continued on in a whisper, words so faint, she was not sure she even spoke them. "I just came up here, to tell you something. They one thing we never seemed to be able to say to one another. The one thing I always wanted to say to you. Ranma Saotome, I love you."   
  
With those final words, she began to sob again, and gestured for her family to come, that she was ready. It seemed to take them less than a heartbeat to reach her, all three of them holding her in their arms, hugging her close. And after all the crying was finally done, they left, returning to their rented car, and driving off, all of searching for a way to make their family continue on.  
  
  
The grave was filled in shortly after the Tendos had left, and the cut up square of sod that covered it made it seem that nothing had happened here today, it erased all the loss and sadness, making it seem to be an old thing. Yet the grief was still here, the sadness, and the loss. It seemed to radiate dark waves across the very air itself, and seemed almost a physical thing. It was the feeling of something too painful to be left unfulfilled, and it seethed like a living thing, trying to tear itself from the very ground and seek justice for the wrongs done to the man left buried here.   
  
For weeks, nothing living would go near this place. Not a dog, or cat, or bird, or even insect. People passing by would catch chills suddenly, and move to avoid this place. The caretakers had begun to notice this strange feeling after a while, and were trying to decide wither or not to have a priest exorcize the plot, when much to their surprise, months after the funeral had taken place, a great black crow landed before the headstone. It seemed to look up, and stare at the words across the smooth gray stone. Satisfied that it had found exactly who, or what it had been searching for, it cawed, and hopped closer, eyes fixated upon the words that ran across the base of the tombstone.  
  
"May flights of angels carry him to rest, this man, this warrior, this fallen hero..."  
  
End of Part One  
  
  
  
Any comments can be directed to me at darkangel98s@hotmail.com or at my site at www.geocities.com/shadow_angel48s  



	2. The End of Innocence

Authors Forward: HEllo there.  
Before you get any bright ideas, I don't own the materials below. They are simply a product of my imagination, and I do not challange their copyrights. I am not trying to make money off of them, so please do not sue me. As for the story itself, it is all mine, so if you try to steal it, I will find you. Just remember that.   
  
  
  
Chapter Two: The End of Innocence  
  
Present Day...  
Bitter cold winds blew the last remains of falls dead leaves across the graveyard, sending them dancing across the ground, flittering here and there like butterflies. The sky was dark, heavy, with only the flashes of lighting illuminating the late afternoon skies. The weather threatened a storm, and not just a small one, but a storm to be talked about for months to come. Those that looked back to this day would swear that this foul tempest seemed to herald the arrival of something, and they would not be wrong.  
  
Almost as if it were a signal, thunder broke the silent stillness of the graves, and the rains came, pouring heavy, almost like one never-ending sheet of water. And through the rains, cut a blur of black, swooping in silently to land atop the head stone rest before a young man, dead a year to the day. It ignored the rain, and looked down at the sodden ground beneath it, and cawed. The sound of it cut through the roar of the rain, the crash of thunder, reaching an impossible volume, and cut through the very earth itself, to the one resting below.  
  
  
His world was a never-ending swirl of memories, images of pain and loss. The world danced around him in an off kilter swirl, never quite coming into focus for more than a moment; just long enough to show him things he did not wish to know; the smell of blood, her anguished whimpers and the Kuno sibling's mad laughter, the sight of her being violated and him helpless to stop it, and the pain of his own death, as wooden sword caved in his skull and all coherent thought stopped. Yet the images carried on, even beyond his own death, and he lay there helpless, to even move or scream, held in his own private hell by sorrow.  
  
Time held no meaning here, and what could have been an instant, or an eternity, passed. He drifted there, lost and alone, but for the first time, he felt another's presence. Among the images that came before him, a woman seemed to appear, walking slowly, form not blurring like everything else. She was young, pale skinned and thin. Her raven black hair spilled around her shoulders, and did not seem to move with her as she walked. Her cloths were simple, black tank top and baggy black pants, both so dark that they seemed to drink in the light. She carried an umbrella as if shielding herself from something, yet he could see nothing that would make her need it's protection. She moved to stand before him, kneeling down, and looking into his eyes, smiling.   
  
"It isn't quite time for you to rest yet, Mr. Saotome. You need to find peace. And while I don't approve of doing it this way, there are forces at work beyond even Death's control. So I send you with my blessing. Just promise me you will not hurt anyone innocent, 'K?" Her voice was sweet, and friendly, making him almost smile at the sound of it. For the first time he could ever remember, he nodded his head, as if agreeing to do as she ask. He felt her reach up, and ruffle his hair. "Ok then. I will be seeing you later. For now, your ride is here."   
  
The strange necklace she wore, like a cross with a loop at the top, began to glow faintly, humming with unknown power. The he felt himself seem to expand, filling with substance beyond misery, with life and power. He heard the cry then, a bird's call, high pitched and sharp, loud and seeming to echo throughout his little world. And within that harsh cry, he heard his name...Ranma...  
  
  
Cologne looked up from where she was cooking, behind the bar of the Nekoheten. She felt the presence of...something; a force she had never, in three hundred years, felt. It was a combination of what felt like the very forces of creation, those of life and death. She found herself shivering uncontrollably, and she did not know why. She only knew that something was coming. Something bad...  
  
Shampoo, looked over at her great-grandmother, looking worried. The woman looked as if she had just seen a ghost. Well, not that exactly, because they had all seen ghosts at one time or another, but something horrible, at the least. She quickly hurried over, and wrapped an arm around the very short, withered old marital-artist. "What wrong, great-grandmother? Something shampoo do to help?"  
  
Cologne could only shake her head and shiver.   
  
  
He had found the letter of challenge waiting in the bedroom he shared with his father and mother, where no one would normally be able to get to. Having read it, he knew who had placed it, the Kuno's pet ninja, Sansuke. The letter being there did not bother him, so much as the fact that it was addressed to Ranma Saotome, also know as the Pig-tailed girl. Somehow the two Kuno's had figured it out, and now wanted to punish him for his transgressions. He grinned. Even together, the two of them were not in his league any more. Not since Herb and later Saffron, at least. He dressed and hurried out to meet this challenge.  
  
  
Deep under the Earth, something stirred, for the first time in over a year. Eyes opened in the darkness, and looked out across the images that flooded it's mind. There was a howl of rage and fury, which even through the half dozen feet to the surface, could be heard over the rain. The crow, cocked it's head again, and cawed once more.  
  
  
The warehouse where the Kuno's had called him to fight at was dark and boarded up, in a part of town that NO one should be in after dark. They probably had a trap set for him inside, another one of their crazy ideas. He was just as unafraid as always.  
  
He kicked the door in, sending it bouncing off the interior wall. It opened up into a view that sent cold chills down his spine, and fiery rage burning up his blood. Before him, lay the broken form of his fiancé, and the only girl he would ever truly love, despite his protests. Her dress had been cut away, and she lie there naked, Tatewaki Kuno removing himself from between her legs and turning to face Ranma, a smile on his lips, and a look of madness in his eyes. Kodachi lay beside Akane, one arm wrapped around her in a sisterly hug, the other drawing away a thin steel scalpel from the ruins of the left side of Akane's face. She looked at Ranma with a similar grin.   
  
"Oh look who has decided to join us finally, brother dear. He almost missed the show."  
  
"Thou has surely be blessed by the fortunes, Ranma Saotome, to have arrived at such a fortuitous moment, to see my final reward in the pursuit of Akane Tendo." He lifted his bokken from where it lie on the floor beside him. "I have tasted the very fruits of heaven, foul Saotome, and would offer you a taste before your most timely demise."  
  
Ranma was not listening to anything coming out of Kuno's mouth; instead, rushing across the cold stone floor, the only thoughts racing through his head now were simple. Killing Kodachi and Kuno. There was nothing else. It was only through years of training, and shear instinct that he dodged the combined attacks of Mousse and Shampoo, who had been waiting in the shadows for him to strike. He only saw the two of them as obstacles in the path of his vengeance.  
  
  
His fists reached up, and began to pound into the top of the coffin, driving into it with more force than they had ever held before. With every strike, the whole box shook, and shivered. Wood splintered; cracking loudly, and dirt began to slide in through the cracks. But his mind only saw what was held before it, and only heard the calls of the bird above.  
  
  
In the end, Ranma had not been beaten. In fact, he had them against the ropes, fighting like a mad man. It was not a single blow that felted the Great Ranma Saotome, nor new special technique. In the end it was simple words.  
  
"Dearest Ranma, if you don't stop right this instant, I will kill her." He had no doubt that Kodachi would, given what she had already shown herself capable of. He honestly had no choice.  
  
It did not take them long to bind him hand and foot, using strong shackles. And he knelt beside the table where Akane lay, moaning weakly, and bleeding profusely. She had not moved since Ranma had first seen her.   
  
Kodachi still lay beside her, running a hand over Akane's body, tracing the curves like a lover would. "It was a shame she would not just come quietly. Shampoo and I had to break her back to get her to stop fighting."  
  
Ranma turned his head to look over at Shampoo, who was forced to look away by the hate she saw there. In his mind, he marked them off, each to die, at the first chance he got. No matter what happened to him. "If this is your sick idea to get me to marry you, shampoo, you have succeeded in part. I do want you. Dead. How could you think that I would ever accept you after this?  
How?"   
  
She shook her head weakly, tears sliding down her cheeks, and walked away, trying her best to hide from his gaze. Mousse however, got angry. Ranma had no chance to dodge before the short staff struck him in the back of the head, sending him sprawling. The duck boy, knelt down beside Ranma, and lifted his head by the hair. "NEVER SPEAK TO SHAMPOO LIKE THAT."  
  
Ranma ignored him, instead looking at the Kunos. "Let her go. Call for help and get her out of here. After that, I will do what ever you want."  
  
Kuno motioned for Mousse to raise Ranma back to his knees, and he did, then stepping back to watch. The eldest Kuno watched Ranma for a very long while, his eyes never blinking. "You will do anything to save her won't you?"  
  
Ranma nodded. "Whatever it takes."  
  
"Beg. If you can do it well enough to satisfy me, then I will forget that Akane allowed my misconceptions about you to continue. She will leave here, alive." He crossed his arms and smiled down at him. Ranma felt suddenly sure that he would not live to make it out of this. Just as long as Akane did. A single tear fell down his cheek, and he looked up at his rival, and begged. He poured his heart and soul out, letting them all know just why she needed to live, why she deserved to live. And in the end, it did not prove to be enough.  
  
  
He pounded against the coffin lid now, delivering hundreds of punches in mere seconds, and it shattered like ice under a hammer. Hundreds of pounds of dirt collapse upon him, but he struggled on, fighting to reach the surface, to escape the torments that came to him trapped down here. His Ki began to focus itself, building into an attack...  
  
  
Happosai looked up from the balcony he had been sneaking up onto, fully intent upon entering the house and pilfering all the unmentionables from inside. So distracted by thoughts of silky little lovelies, he had not noticed the odd surge of spiritual energy, till it had almost reached it's peak. Upon noticing it, he turned slowly, targeting it's source easily.   
  
  
"So. Another one of you enters the world. Guess it is about time, considering how boring it has been lately. Ever since Ranma died..." His mind stared at the possible connection. His death had certainly been bad enough. Could it really be?   
  
The lightning flashed twice rapidly, only the merest flicker between flashes, but from the end of the first, to the beginning of the second, Happosai had moved, faster than anyone ever believed was possible, even Cologne. The only sign he had been there was a large round bag, left open, rain soaking the undergarments inside.  
  
  
He had never gotten to speak another word, for Kuno had broken his jaw with one quick swipe of his wooden Katana, scoffing that the dog before him was so low, that it couldn't even beg properly. After that, things had broken down into a drawn out argument. Kuno had not partaken in it, instead returning to his defilement of Akane. Ranma, fighting to rise, managed to get back upon his knees, when the fighting stopped.  
  
"Great-Grandmother!"  
  
"What is occurring here? What has happened to Ranma?" The matriarch for the Chinese Amazon clan had entered through a back door, balancing precariously atop her walking/fighting staff. Her aura suggested great displeasure. Ranma continued to struggle against the restraints. He heard Cologne approaching the three arguing teenagers, and hoped that the old hag was going to end all of this right now. His hopes were dashed. "Samurai, I told you Ranma was not to be harmed, and that the Tendo girl could be done with as you wished, AFTER Ranma had agreed to marry Shampoo. Now he will be most disagreeable. Well, nothing to do about it really. Finish her off, and lets get Ranma out to the transportation you have provided. We must be gone before anyone suspects anything." With that, Ranma slumped down, finally excepting defeat.  
  
Kuno surprised him, when he removed himself from Akane, retied his pants, and hefted up his weapon. "Alas, old one, this can not be. For you see, I have at my very feet the most despised and hated demon, Ranma Saotome. I shall not let my sole chance to slay this foul brigand go unfulfilled."   
  
Cologne's eyes narrowed. "You would be ill advised to try, little one, for you are not even half the warrior Son-in-Law is, and I will kill you for the attempt."  
  
"Then let us see..."  
  
The world became a confusing place, all in the span of a few seconds. Kuno brought his sword around in a fast blur, aimed for Ranma's head. Cologne had plenty of time to move and deflect the attack, had she not had to suddenly knock aside a trio of thrown weapons. Kodachi, Mousse, and the Kuno family's ninja, who even she had not felt, launched a stream of weapons at her. The sword managed to connect, even while she watched, and it sickened her to watch such a strong, talented young man die, his brains and blood spraying across the ground. As soon as the stroke was done, her attackers ceased.   
  
Her eyes narrowed, but there was nothing to do about it now. She lowered herself from the staff, and readied into a fighting stance. She felt Shampoo do the same, beside her. None of the others would be leaving here alive.  
  
The sudden explosion of the wall beside both groups startled everyone, however she was the only one to truly recognize what had happened. It was the Breaking Point, which meant Ryoga. Another wild card into the fray. What even she did not expect was everyone who accompanied him. Genma and Soun, that schoolteacher Hinako, that damned brat Ukyo, even Happosai, who was a real surprise, and definitely changed the odds against all present.   
  
Deciding to use this to their advantage, Cologne raised her staff and pointed to the other group. "Quickly! I could not save Ranma, but perhaps we can still save young Tendo!" And she threw herself into the fight...  
  
  
His hands closed around something, there in the dark, and closed around it almost on instinct. Thrusting his hands forward, item in hand he unleashed his Ki attack, the Mouko Takabisha. The blast tore through the very Earth, blasting him free. Now, with the sky bared above him, the rains came upon him unhindered, and he felt his body shift, and change. And for the first time, she paid it no mind. It was part of who and what she was, and it did not really matter if she were a boy or a girl, so long as he could still do what had to be done.  
  
Climbing slowly from the wet soil, she slid a few times, but used the thing in her hand, which she now recognized as a red bamboo umbrella, to leverage herself up. It took a very short while for her to drag herself free, and once out, she lay there, feeling something very much like being tired, but not the tired of the body, tiredness in the soul. Her body felt like it could go on forever, but her spirit felt like simply lying here, in the cold, wet mud and grass till the end came again.  
  
She would have lain there too, had it not been for the bird. It landed upon the grass before her eyes and cawed in it's ear splitting fashion. She swatted at it with out much effort, and it somehow hopped up into the air, and landed upon her arm. She raised her head, and looked deeply into it's eyes. Suddenly she felt an impulse to follow where the bird went. Normally she would have ignored such a silly idea, but her she could remember nothing beyond the pain, and the sense of loss. She nodded faintly, as if the bird had told her to follow, and the crow leapt into the air and flew north. She rose, leaning on the umbrella, and moved after, slowly stumbling along.  
  
Their trek through the rainy night passed slowly for the girl. Her time sense still had not returned. For what could have been minutes, or hours, passed, and still she walked, following the black bird as it moved ahead, and cawed to lead her on, to some unknown destination.  
  
It was with great relief and surprise that she found the bird sitting upon a shop sign, waiting for her to arrive, instead of taking flight to the next stop. The bird looked into the shop, watching someone working behind the shops countertop grill, and she looked in as well. Something about the woman inside, with her long black hair, and the tight, if a little odd, uniform she wore. She almost felt like she should know her. Without knowing why, she moved forward, opened the door, which the bell attached jingled merrily, and stepped inside.   
  
The girl looked up, smiling. "Sorry, we are closed for business already. Would you mind coming back tomorrow?" But when she caught site of whom it was standing in her entrance, she froze.   
  
Her mouth worked independently of her mind, and spoke on reflex. "Hey Ucchan. Sorry about this..." Then promptly the redhead collapsed upon the cold tile floor of the restaurant, and for the life of her, Ukyo Kuonji could not say that she did not feel the exact same way....  
  
End of Chapter Two  
  
  
  
  
Any comments can be directed to me at darkangel98s@hotmail.com or at my site at www.geocities.com/shadow_angel48s  



	3. The Calm Before the Storm

Authors Notes: Well, this sucker is just flowing right out of me. Kind of surprising, as I wanted to finish my El-Hazard story, Ancients Dreams, before I started this, but I can't seem to get away from this one. Oh well, nothing to do about it, but run with it. This one isn't going to go away easy folks, so be ready for one dark and nasty ride, with all your happy little Ranma characters seen in a new light. Till later enjoy.  
  
C+C at darkangel98s@yahoo.com . Flames can go to hell. Also, check out my website at www.geocities.com/shadow_angel48s, where all my other fan fictions are kept.  
  
Legal Stuff: I don't own any of the copyrighted materials in these little works of fiction that I produce, and am in no way challenging said copyrights. All I have come up with is the story I have stuck them into.   
  
  
  
The Crow 1/2: Dragons Rising  
Chapter Three: Calm Before the Storm  
  
  
Later that same night…  
  
  
Ukyou had never been more surprised in her life, than when Ranma, in his girl form, had walked into her restaurant, and spoke to her.  
  
  
"Hey Ucchan. Sorry 'bout this…"  
  
  
Then, the shorter, red haired girl collapsed upon the cold checkerboard tile floor, out cold. Ukyou just stood their, staring at the form lying on her floor, mind having gone numb, sure she had gone mad. It was only when Konatsu entered, today dressed in a very lovely blue and green silk kimono.  
  
  
"Ukyou-chan? Did I hear somebody come in? I must have forgotten to lock…" Seeing the person sprawled out there, he hurried over, and knelt down beside her, beginning to roll her over. "What happened here Ukyou-chan? This girl is all dirty and soaked and… and… it's RANMA!!!" Konatsu jumped back a dozen feet easily, holding his finely manicured hands up as if to ward himself from evil spirits. "How did that body get here?!?"  
  
  
"You mean you see it too?"  
  
  
"OF course I do. It's lying right there!" He pointed.  
  
  
"Oh my God! Do you have any idea what this means?" She jumped over the bar/grill, and landed smoothly on the other side, and hurried over to the red head. "Help me out here Konatsu, we need to get him upstairs."  
  
  
"I am not carrying a dead body."  
  
  
"Konatsu! He's not dead! He walked in here, and talked to me! He's breathing for goodness sakes! Now get over here and Help me!"  
  
  
With the cross dressing ninja taking Ranma's shoulders, and Ukyou taking her feet, the two of them made quick time up to Ukyou's bedroom, him complaining the entire time how Ranma smelled like she was dead, even if she were breathing.  
  
  
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Ukyou remained by Ranma's side all through the night, even into the early morning. Konatsu was more than capable of handling the restaurant. She could hear him downstairs already getting the restaurant ready for business. He was a good worker, and they had grown very close since the funeral.  
  
  
How could Ranma be alive? He could not. She had seen his body, skull cracked open, a mix of brains and blood staining the ground around his head. She had watched as the bodied last nervous twinges had ended, and he lie still. He had died that day. There was no other explanation, except that either he had somehow faked his death, which was doubtful, or somehow he had risen back from the dead, which was even more unlikely.   
  
  
She reached out and took his hand, squeezing it, trying to understand how he was now here, that he was actually lying in her bed, breathing quietly. As their flesh met, something seemed to hit him like a jolt of electricity, and his body slammed upwards, resting only on heels and shoulders. Ranma's eyes opened, and a silent scream seemed to tear itself from her.  
  
  
*******************************************************  
  
  
Images and memories flooded her mind. Images of a man lying dead upon a cold warehouse floor mixing with memories of feeling himself die on that very floor. She saw his funeral, and cried silently for the loss everyone felt, for he felt it too, deeper than any of them ever could. She felt the woman named Ukyou struggling to live on after all that had happened, the attempt to kill herself, cold steel blade cutting across warm flesh. Konatsu crying over her, as he tried to stop the blood; there had been so much blood. Her being taken care of, getting help, and finally moving on, and the budding relationship the two of them developed. And with her memories, rode his own, just pieces, but more than had been there. She… no he, for he remembered his curse, was Ranma Saotome, sole heir to the Saotome School of Martial Arts. He lived with the Tendos since he had arrived here, and he was engaged to Akane Tendo, whom he secretly loved more than anything in this world. And that he had died.  
  
  
It was slow, her body relaxing, but it did, and it lay back against the soft, cool sheets of the bed. Ever so slowly she turned her head to look at Ukyou, who stared at her in worry, with her eyes tinged with pain. Ranma released her hand, which she had gripped reflexively when the memories had come. She smiled at her weakly.   
  
  
"Hi there, Ucchan."  
  
  
She seemed to be debating how to respond to her. She seemed to be unsure if Ranma really was who she appeared to be. "Hello there, Ran-chan."   
  
  
She looked into Ukyou's eyes, calm and serious, and smiled. "I guess I have some explaining to do, huh?"  
  
  
"Yes you most certainly do…"  
  
  
For just a moment, their was a flash of the old Ranma in her eyes, and she grinned. "If you don't mind, I would love to tell you over something to eat. Not having anything for a year can make a guy REALLY hungry…"  
  
  
*******************************************************  
  
  
Ranma, now back in his male form, bathed to remove the smell and filth of the grave from himself, and dressed in some of Konatsu's rarely used guy cloths, sat shoveling Ukyou's okonomiyaki into his mouth with his usual intensity. He had already eaten five of them, and despite his promises of telling her what had happened to him, he had not taken a break since he had sat down.   
  
  
Ukyou herself was finally convinced the he was who he said. No one ate quite like her Ran-chan. She stood across the grill from him, watching him eat as fast as she cooked. She could not figure out why all the questions she had, which their were many, did not seem so pressing. It seemed that all that was important was that he was alive, and sitting across from her. She smiled.  
  
  
*******************************************************  
  
  
From his place at the foot of the stairs, Konatsu watched silently. He was happy that Ranma was actually not dead. He had wanted Ukyou, but not at the expense of another's life. But now, with Ranma back, he feared that what Ukyou and he had developed over the year since the funeral would vanish, as she went back to her feelings for Ranma.  
  
  
He watched the two of them from a distance, Ranma stuffing his face, and Ukyou watching him, and felt pangs of loss. He did not stand a chance against this. He was going to loose her…  
  
  
*******************************************************  
  
When he was finally done, so full he felt he was going to burst, he pushed his empty plate up to the edge of the grill. He took a drink of the water , and looked at his friend, seeing her smile. It was time for his story. At least what he remembered of it. What he had learned from her memories, and what it had reawakened in his.   
  
  
"I guess it is time for me to talk, huh?"  
  
  
"You had better believe it, Ran-chan. And it had better be good, or I might just have to kill you myself." She glanced sideways, towards her battle spatula, which rested next to Konatsu as he sat on the stairs that lead up to the bedrooms above. He got the idea. "I mean, if this is come kind of trick, it was the most horrible thing you could ever have done."  
  
  
Ranma smiled at her sadly. "I am afraid it was no trick, Ucchan. Not me running away." He looked down at the table, and his hand began to trace a pattern across the countertop. It was something he did when he was nervous, like when he thought no one would believe him. "It was for real. I died."  
  
  
She crossed her arms. "Died huh?" She reached out and poked him in the shoulder. "You don't feel like a ghost to me. And no spirit just ate all that food."  
  
  
"I know it is hard to believe. Heck, I don't believe it myself. But it happened."  
  
  
She looked at him, eyes downcast, waiting to be blamed. It all sounded so preposterous, so impossible. How could he be dead and be sitting here, eating her out of house and home. It wasn't possible, but something in the way he acted, the way he spoke, brought her the impression that he believed what he was saying.  
  
  
"Ok then. Tell me what the afterlife is like then.."  
  
  
He glanced up at her briefly. "I don't remember much about it." He looked down her hands briefly, at her wrists. She noticed, but did not think anything of it. "Actually I don't remember much of anything." He turned his head fully up, and locked his cool blue eyes with her brown ones. "When you took my hand upstairs, I felt something. It was like I could see into your memories. That gave me some memories of what had happened after you all broke in, and found me and Akane. I can remember seeing myself dead…" He shivered slightly, before continuing. "Your memories of me seemed to jar loose other things, and I remembered more, stuff only I knew, but not much. Like I remember that I was a martial artist, but no matter how hard I try, I can't remember much about it. Just some basic katas and stuff. Other than that, my mind is a complete blank."   
  
  
His eyes traveled back down to her wrists, and she looked down to see what he was staring at. A nasty looking scar ran about three inches down her wrist, cut into her flesh by one of her own throwing spatulas. Suddenly self conscious, she tried to hide her arm behind the counter, but his hand shot out, just as fast as she remembered, a blinding blur, yet his grip was gentle. He drew her arm towards him, and turned it wrist up. He stared at it intently, and ran a finger softly down the injury. She shivered herself, but not from the feather light touch, but because just for an instant, she could feel the cool steel sliding through her again. At that, she pulled her arm back, almost violently.  
  
  
"It was a cooking accident. I was slicing up some vegetables, and a slipped. It was pretty bad. Konatsu managed to get me help before anything bad happened." The lie fell flat, when he locked gazes with her again.   
  
  
His eyes were filled with pain, near tears. It was not a look she had ever seen from him. It was something she hated to see in him.  
  
  
"It was not too long after the funeral. Business had been bad, and Konatsu had been running the restaurant for almost a week. You refused to even come out of your room." His voice was steady, despite the emotions on his face. "No matter how much everyone tried to tell you that you were actually the hero, since you were the one that had brought help and saved Akane, you still blamed yourself. You were so sad Ukyou…" His hand rose slowly, and traced a faint line down here cheek, where a tear had just escaped. "Finally, in the end, you could not take it any longer. The pain had to end, the misery had to. All you wanted to do was end it all, and be with me. So you had locked your bedroom door, and taken one of your spatulas. It had surprised you, after all the fights you had been in, how much one little cut could hurt. You passed out, from the pain, and blood loss, and the next thing you knew, you woke up, in the hospital, Konatsu by your side, holding your hand, about to pass out from the constant vigil he had kept over you…" Finished, he wiped a tear of his own away.  
  
  
She backed away from him slowly. "How... How could you know that…?"   
  
  
"I saw it in your memories, Ukyou. I felt it, hear it, saw it all, just like it had happened to me…"  
  
"No…no…no…" She tried to run, ashamed of her weakness, ashamed that he had seen her at her worst. Worst than that, had felt it all. She was half way through the doors into the kitchen when he caught her, having leaped the grill, and covered the distance to her in a starling burst of speed.   
  
  
He took her in his arms, hard and strong, meant for fighting, hugging her close in a grip that was soft and gentle, but unyielding. There, they cried, releasing all the pain and sorrow they felt, comforted by the presence of someone that cared for them.  
  
Time had no meaning for them. When they parted, it had been almost a half hour they had stood there, Ukyou finally letting out all the pent up anguish she had held inside for so long. Wiping their tears away, they both managed a smile.   
  
"I-I Guess I needed that. I have been holding all that in for so long. Therapy didn't even help this much." She gave him another hug, this one friendly and brief. She then lead the two of them back around the counter, and over to a booth, where they both took a seat, across from one another.  
  
  
Taking another swipe at her eyes, she let her smile fade. "I guess you did come back from the dead huh?"  
  
  
"Yep."  
  
  
"Care to tell me how?"  
  
  
He shrugged. "I don't know. Just before I remember walking in the rain, following this huge bird, I remember a girl. She was telling me something about how it wasn't my time yet. That I had to find peace. Before that, I don't remember anything."   
  
  
"Find peace? Like put your affairs in order? I know you left a lot of people behind who depended on you, but I have never heard of anyone coming back because they had been promised to a dozen fiancés."   
  
  
"A Dozen fiancés?" He looked confused.  
  
  
"You mean you don't remember?" A year ago, she would have jumped at the opportunity. But now, things had changed. She could not quite bring herself to take advantage of the situation.   
  
  
"Well I remember you, and Akane… AKANE!!!" As if just remembering her, he suddenly bolted up. "How could I forget her! I have to go see her! See if she is ok."   
  
  
He was heading towards the door, almost before Ukyou could react. She turned, raising her hand in an attempt to stop him. "Ranma! Wait!"  
  
  
He was in a near panic to go see Akane, as if his life depended on it, but something in her tone made him stop. "Something wrong with Akane? It isn't you being jealous is it?"  
  
  
She shook her head. "No… No… I just wanted to remind you it was raining, and to take an umbrella."   
  
  
He smiled and nodded. "I'll be back Ucchan. I promise." He turned to look by the door, and found only one umbrella in the can near the door. A red bamboo one, which resembled the one Ryoga always carried. He grabbed it, and shook his head. Could not have been Ryoga's, because too light. A memory tickled at the back of his head, but for the moment, he ignored it. His need to see Akane was too great. The opened the umbrella and was out the door, racing into the stormy night.  
  
  
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Ukyou shook her head sadly. He was about to find out something that would hurt him worst than what she had done to herself. What the Kuno's and those damned Amazons had done to the youngest Tendo daughter. She had wanted to explain to him what had happened, what was still going on, but something held her back. She doubted he would have believed her had she told him. It was something he needed to do on his own.  
  
  
She sighed, and turned, deciding to tell Konatsu to go ahead and start the morning preparations. It would be morning soon enough, and they might as well get an early start. Yet when she looked over, he was no longer there, and the sounds of someone working in the kitchen could already be heard. It was only then, that she realized that he had witnessed everything that had happened here in her restaurant. He had stood by, and watched them hold each other, cry in each others arms. She suddenly realized what he must have been feeling, and she felt like crying again. Yet another person she ended up hurting through her actions.   
  
  
She got up, and hurried into the kitchen, to talk with him, set things strait. She hoped that he would understand…  
  
  
*****************************************************  
  
Two silent watchers witnessed Ranma's departure.   
  
  
The crow, having been resting under an overhang across from the restaurant, cawed softly at Ranma's quickly disappearing form, and took flight. It had one simple purpose on this earth, and it was completely devoted to it's task. It dropped from it's perch, and took flight, following the recently reborn young man, intent on guiding him through his vengeance.  
  
  
The other watcher sat silently as the great black bird took flight. He wished it was not raining, so he could smoke his pipe, but shrugged. It was a minor inconvenience. At least compared to what was to come.   
  
Happosai frowned, and began to work over plans in his head on a way to perform damage control. He knew once Ranma got started along the path of vengeance, the normal level of destruction they caused would seem minor by compare. He had never been a good master, but he was a kindred spirit to Ranma, in at least one way, and he felt he owed him this, as a way of atoning for his past sins.   
  
Quickly, the little martial artist hopped away into the darkness, heading out to prepare for what was to come.  
  
  
*****************************************************  
  
  
Ranma cleared the Tendo compounds tall stone walls with a single leap, balancing the umbrella just right to keep the rain off of him. He did not want his return to be like his first arrival here, as a girl.  
  
  
As he landed, atop one of the Koi ponds stones, he frowned. He could feel something about this place did not seem right. It was like a wave of sadness seemed to radiate from the very ground around this place. He wanted to put it up to just his nerves at finally returning to this place, but somehow he could not. He knew deep down that something was wrong.   
  
  
Instead of just walking up to the front door and knocking, like he had planned, he decided to make a wide circuit of the grounds. Slowly he walked the houses edge, and despite the darkness, his vision seemed fine, and he saw something that bothered him.   
  
  
The house was not like it had been. Despite all the property damage, Kasumi kept the place neat. If her father or her could not fix it, she had a repair person come out and take care of it immediately. It was her driving goal in life that her home be a proper one, and always in its top shape. What he saw was a home, that while it was still kept up, no longer was taken care of like it had been. Some of the paint was peeling, and some of the roof tiles needed replacing. The lawn needed to be cut a few weeks ago, some of the plants did not look to be in good shape.  
  
  
When he reached the Dojo, it was in even worse shape. It looked like no one had even been in it in months. He slid open the doors, silent as he could, and was shocked at the insides. Broken bricks, something Akane loved to practice on, lay scattered everywhere. There were several roof leaks, and water mixed with the brick chips and layers of dust, to make a slippery film beneath he feet as he walked. He remembered little of this place, not much more than a layout of the home, but he knew that all of this was wrong. For it to be like this, something terrible had to have happened.   
  
  
He slid the doors shut, and hurried along the covered walkway that ran from the dojo to the house. Worries began to assault him about what could have happened to Kasumi. He knew the name, and could conjure a face to go with it, but beyond that, all he had was a feeling of kindness about her. If anything had happened to her, he would be very angry.  
  
  
He decided on the easiest way to sneak into the house, already deciding that he would have to check things out more, try and remember more about the people that lived here, before he announced his return. He vaulted to the roof without a thought, and swung over the edge , to sit on a window sill. It was all instinct he was going on now, and his body seemed to remember doing this many times. Using the umbrella to shield himself not only from the rain now, but water pouring off the roof, he slid the window open, and slipped inside.   
  
  
This room was his, or had been. He had shared it with his father while they had lived here with the Tendos. Apparently his father was no longer staying her through, no one was inside, and both sleeping mats were neatly rolled up and laid against the wall. A brief thought about his father, an image of him taking a young Ranma away from a woman he knew was his mother, flashed through his head, and suddenly he knew without a doubt that he disliked his father very much. He was glad that the older Saotome was no longer here.  
  
  
Ranma did a quick run through of the room, finding most of it empty. All that remained here was a single shirt in the closet. He slid it out, and looked it over. It was similar to the ones he always remembered wearing. A Chinese style martial artists shirt, but he did not remember one like this. It was solid black, made of some very soft fabric, and had a sliver dragon stitched from front to back across it. He did not remember owning anything like it, but that did not mean a whole lot, considering his current memory problems. He folded it up, and tucked it under one arm, deciding that he could wear it later, since he would need to change cloths eventually.   
  
  
Something fluttering by the window caught his attention, and he spun, to find that bird, gleaming wet and black, staring at him. It did not make a sound, as if understanding he was trying to be quiet, and after staring intently at him for a moment, hopped into the room, and glided over to the door. It looked at the door, then back at him, and back at the door again, and Ranma had the feeling that it wanted him to go into the hall.   
  
  
He shrugged. The bird did seem to know what it was doing, and he slid the door open as quietly as he could, and almost as soon as it could squeeze through, it walked through, and waddled down the hall. Ranma followed, leaving the door open. It went around a bend in the hall, to the right, and Ranma had to step quickly to keep up. Where it lead him, was to a door at the end of the hallway, one that seemed very familiar. He saw a small wooden duck carving on the door, and squinted in the gloom to read the single word on it. Akane…  
  
  
Images of the young woman filled him then. Her smile, the way her short hair swirled around her face when she sparred with him, the way her eyes twinkled when they shared one of the few tender moments they had together. He remembered other things, like how they had fought, and how he had almost lost her in a fight once, against some guy with wings, but those things were unimportant. All that was, was that he back, and could be with her again.  
  
  
He had not even realized he was moving, and before doubt could stop him, he had opened her door, and walked inside, shutting it behind him.   
  
  
He saw her, and his heart skipped a beat. She was sleeping, and looked like an angel to him. He approached her slowly, as if afraid she would awake, and he had a faint series of memories of being tossed, punched, and kicked from the room on countless times. He did not want anything like that to occur. Not now. He just wanted to look at her.   
  
  
He had no idea how long he stood there, looking down at her. Again, time seemed to loose meaning to him. But as the first rays of dawn began to filter through her window, muted by the clouds and rain, she stirred, whispering something in her sleep, and rolling onto her back fully facing him now.  
  
  
The scar had healed cleanly, and was a neat little line of scars across her face. He could not remember anything like that on her. It was something new, something disturbing. It was another thing that tickled at the back of his mind, like he should recognize it. And again, his body seemed to react on it's own, and he watched his hand reach out, and trace the lines across her cheek, as he had done to the one on Ukyou's wrist, and feeling the thin scars under his skin. It was then, that it hit him, like a bullet to the heart…  
  
  
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Her legs no longer worked. That was the only reason she was not fighting what Kuno was doing to her. She felt her panties rip from her body, and him enter her. Her virginity taken away by one of the rivals of the man she had so desperately been saving it for. And it was not just there, he violated her. It was in any place he could stick it, and if she resisted, it was pain for her. But the rape was not the worst of it. It was the look he had while he was doing it, a cruel, hate filled gaze, mixed with lust and something else, something wilder. She could only akin it to the look his sister always had in her eyes when she was fighting over Ranma, except a thousand times worse. Insanity, in it's purest form.  
  
  
This degradation was far from the worst of it. The worst did not come till Kodachi arrived. That was when the true pain started. She watched them kiss, tongues touching, mouths open, and her not even looking when she slid the scalpel across their victims face. Kuno had been even more excited, and this excited his sister, and that was when the pain began for real…  
  
  
*******************************************************  
  
  
Akane awoke to the sound of a scream so tortured, so anguished, that she was for sure that she was back on that table again, with the insane Kuno siblings. That it was her screaming. But in the moments it took her to wake up fully, she found herself lying in bed, in her room alone. Wondering at the chill breeze blowing through her room, she glanced over at the window, and found it open. She could have sworn that it was closed when she went to sleep the night before.  
  
She rolled over onto her side, thinking of Ranma, the feeling that he was close almost overwhelming her. She lay their crying for at least an hour, before her body finally decided it had woken up enough, and needed to relieve itself. Wiping her eyes, she rolled over, and started to reach for the pair of crutches and leg braces she laid beside her bed every night, when she saw the feather lying on her floor. It gleamed blackly against the early morning light, and she wondered how it could have gotten there.  
  
  
**************************************************  
  
  
Ukyou had been so busy during the day, that she had not had time to check on Ranma more than once during business hours. He had gotten back just as they were opening, and had run upstairs to lock himself away in her room, and away from the world. The one time she had gone up, no one had answered, and she had come back down. She was starting to worry, but figured he was taking what had happened to the Tendo's pretty hard. He just needed time, she was sure.  
  
  
To add to her stress however, was Konatsu, who was avoiding her like she had the Black Plague. When confronted, he acted ok, his normal cheery self, but when he was away from her directly, she could see him moving and acting like he had just lost the love of his life, and she guessed in his mind, he had.   
  
  
When Ucchan's finally closed down, Ukyou turned the open sign around to closed, and readied herself for a heart to heart with Konatsu, when the door at the top of the stairs opened, and Ranma began to walk down. She gasp when she saw him.  
  
  
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He did not know why he had done as he had. He had changed cloths into the shirt he had found in his old room at the Tendo's, and a pair of black pants he found in Konatsu's room. As he had been leaving, the crow had some how found it's way into the room with him, alighting on his shoulder just as he passed the large mirror where Konatsu put on his makeup. He had turned his head, and found himself staring at his own image. An image that did not look quite right.  
  
  
He caught new memories, this time ones he knew not to be his, of other men and women, people like him, back from the dead. He saw their faces, and knew their purpose, his purpose now. He had taken the makeup, and began to work, crafting a new face to go with his task, one that would fit into his new, darker world…  
  
  
He took the steps one at a time, slowly. His face was now a pale white, and both eyes were painted dark, a single long black streak coming down from his right eye, like a trail of a tear. He nodded inwardly as Ukyou too a step back, fear lighting her face. He was ready.   
  
  
"Time to make them pay…"  
  
  
End of Chapter Three.  
  
  
  
Authors Notes Again: Whew. Wrote this on in one night. I bet you can tell. I don't think it is AS good as the others, but hey, I tried. Of course I wrote the other two chapters in one night as well. Shrugs Lets see. Yes I know, there are a few overdone things. But I thought that the ability to touch someone, and read some of their memories to help gather back your own was kind of cool. They did it in the first crow movie after all. AND YES I DO KNOW THE KUNOS ARE A LOT LIKE THE VILLANS IN THE FIRST MOVIE. They are only going to be part of the problem in this series. I am not ripping off the first movie in it's entirety. I promise I will be done with them by 2/3 of the way through. YEA!  
  
Oh yea. You will see how off the deep end the Kuno's have gone in the next chapter, I promise. And the next chapter is gonna have a couple of cool fights, just for you action junkies. Whee!!!  
  
Just for your reference, above where I mention Akane almost dying against a guy with wings, that was Saffron, Prince of Phoenix Mountain. I just finished that Manga (Ranma 1/2 Manga 38) and it was damned cool. Just in case you were wondering if Ranma WAS willing to kill for Akane, read that one and you will get your answer. Also has the failed wedding where Ukyou and Shampoo are tossing bombs. Ranma is probably less mad about that than the loss of the Spring of Drowned Man water that Happosai drank. Anyway, keep checking back for new chapters, and remember, the more mail I get, the more I write!  
  
]Darkangel98s  
  
P.S. NOMINATE ME FOR AWARDS GUYS!!! IF I WIN ONE I MIGHT JUST FINISH THIS WHOLE SERIES IN A WEEK!!! TALK ABOUT INSPIRATION.  



	4. A Hero's Dark Heart

C+C at darkangel98s@yahoo.com . Flames can go to hell. Also, check out my website at www.geocities.com/shadow_angel48s, where all my other fan fictions are kept.  
  
Legal Stuff: I don't own any of the copyrighted materials in these little works of fiction that I produce, and am in no way challenging said copyrights. All I have come up with is the story I have stuck them into.   
  
  
  
The Crow 1/2: Dragons Rising  
Chapter Four: A Hero's Dark Heart  
  
  
They moved with a speed and grace that most would not have believed, even had they witnessed it first hand. A crow, large for a bird of it's kind, glided throughout the dark night skies like a shadow. It's body twisted and turned, dodging nimbly around, over, and under obstructions, always heading in the same direction, ever west, deeper into the warehouse district of Nerima.   
  
  
The young man following was not hindered by the roofs that passed over, nor the speed at which his feathered companion moved. Ponytail blowing in the wind behind him, he leapt from roof to roof, racing at a pace that would have been suicide for even a trained martial artist like himself. But he did not fear death now…  
  
  
It was sudden that the bird pulled up in it's flight, snapping it's wings forward and bringing itself to a sudden rest atop an air conditioner run off pipe. Surprised, his companion barely managed to stop himself, almost barreling over the edge. Instead, he found himself looking down, into an alley that ran between two buildings. He frowned, and shot the bird a dirty look.  
  
  
"What the heck did ya do that for? I could have broke my neck!" He looked back down into the alley, and was unhappy to find none of those he sought below him. "And I thought you were supposed to be helping me? What the hell did ya bring me out here for huh? For atmosphere?"  
  
  
The crow rotated it's head, it's golden colored eyes burned with a fierce light, and despite it's small size, his companion backed away, hands raised in a warding off gesture. It cawed faintly, and dropped from the roof, gliding silently into the darkness, and from view.  
  
  
"Jeeze. Touchy bird…" He started to follow, when a sensation he had never experienced before, comparable only to falling perhaps. He watched the dark stone walls literally fly past, felt himself bank to the left, and soar above the streets. Black wings beat just at the edges of his vision, and he finally realized what was happening. He was seeing what the bird saw, feeling what it felt.  
  
  
He was amazed, marveling at the feeling of flight, that he almost missed what the bird was flying towards. It was a small ship, a little small company transport of some type. Dock hands ran back and forth, loading on unmarked wooden crates, and two people stood at the edge of the dock, both staring at the ship, watching the work, and talking softly.  
  
  
The first one, the taller of the two, was dressed as a stereotypical sea captain, hat, coat and all.He did not concern them. The other one was the one that drew the bird eyes, and through them, it's companions. Both sets, golden and blue, narrowed.  
  
  
The shorter fellow was dressed in looses gray slacks, and an unusual jacket, covered in Chinese designs and characters, it's sleeves far wider that would have been practical. His jett black hair rolled down his back, long and loose, and when he turned to speak with the captain, glasses so thick that they resembled coke bottle bottoms gleamed dully in the dim light. He knew that man, knew his face, knew what probably was hidden up those sleeves. He growled faintly, and in response to his anger, the crow cawed, its cry making both men turn suddenly and watch its flight.   
  
  
Then the bird was past, flying back off into the night, back to him, and the vision was over. He was along with his own senses. Before the crow could return, he was moving, taking to the air in a fast leap that carried him to the next building. He had business to take care of with the Chinese youth. And a message to deliver.  
  
  
  
***************************************************  
  
  
  
The restaurant had been closed for close to an hour now. Since then, she had been waiting silently, watching out the windows of her restaurant, waiting for Ryoga Hibiki to arrive. She was still confused why Ranma wanted the Eternally Lost Boy here, but she had agreed. She did not have the courage to argue with him, the way he had come down, eyes full of murder, face painted like some type of pissed off clown…  
  
  
*One Hour Ago*  
  
  
He walked down the stairs one at a time, his feet making not a noise. Not even the loose step shifted as he walked. She stared, a shocked and fearful gasp escaping her lips before she could catch herself.   
  
  
He had changed cloths, and was now dressed in all black. His shirt was still Chinese in style, but she had never seen it before. Silver dragons twined around his body Rising over his shoulders, or around his sides. The shirt did not worry her though. It was his face that scared her.  
  
  
It was painted white, with what looked like makeup, and his eyes were painted black, looking dark and sunken. A single black streak, drawn down from his right eye, and Ukyou suddenly had an image of him crying earlier, and a tear rolling down his cheek.  
  
  
She backed away as he walked down the stairs, wondering if he had gone over the edge, or if he had found out about her secret, but he did not even look at her. Instead, when he reached the stairs base, he headed over to the door, as if to leave. He stopped as he had earlier that day, when he had raced out into the rain, off to see Akane. He again took the red bamboo umbrella out from it's place beside the door, but this time, instead of walking outside, he slowly turned it over and over in his hands, as if trying to remember something about it.   
  
  
Konatsu picked that moment to enter the room from the kitchen, and he was not looking happy. He had been trying to work off some of his aggressions and pent up feelings by hand scrubbing the floors in the kitchen, and had ruined his makeup and the dress he had been wearing was filthy. They both looked at each other at the same time, Konatsu meeting Ranma's angry eyes, and dropped into a fighting stance. Ukyou did not know what he hoped to do against Ranma, especially if he had gone crazy. She was willing to bet that it had something to do with buying her time to get away. He really did care for her well being a little TOO much sometimes. She would not run off and leave him like that, she just wished that she had her spatula from behind the grill.  
  
  
Ranma ignored the cross dressers aggressive actions, instead raising the umbrella, and leveling it at Ukyou. "The owner of this umbrella…"  
  
  
It took her a moment to catch his meaning. "Ryoga?"  
  
  
He nodded. "Yea. Ryoga. Always getting lost, I think…" He smiled just for a moment, a he seemed to go into himself for a moment, remembering. It was short lived, however, and he snapped back to reality, eyes going back to their hate filled look. "IS their a way to get a hold of him? His parents or something?"  
  
  
She nodded. "Yea. He left his number a few months ago. He is living with this girl named Akari. She is really kind of nice… Why do you want to talk to Ryoga?"  
  
  
"Call him then, and tell him it is an emergency. Don't tell him what, just that he has to hurry. Tell him to come here."  
  
  
"I won't until you tell me why! If you plan on hurting him, you can forget it! He had nothing to do with what happened to you and Akane! You got that!"  
  
  
"I don't want him for that…" He moved towards the door, not looking at her, umbrella in hand. "I just… I might need his help shortly. His and yours… Once this starts…" His hand closed on the doorknob, and he slid it open, intent on stepping out into the darkness.  
  
  
"Help? With what? Where are you going?" She rose as if to follow him, to get answers, when out of nowhere, a huge black bird fluttered up from the shadows, and perched on Ranma's shoulder. Both turned to stare at her, the birds eyes glowing eerily, Ranma's fierce ones a little softer, sensing her concern. His face still was emotionless though, and his voice was calm, almost lifeless.  
  
  
"I have to deliver a message…"  
  
  
*Present*  
  
  
She was startled over trying to puzzle out what Ranma was up to by the phone ringing suddenly. It's sharp, rapid fire warble made her fall out her seat at the bar, and sent her heart racing a thousand beats a second. Grumbling, she dragged herself up from the floor, and rubber her rear, where she had landed. The phone had stopped, and she could hear Konatsu upstairs, talking.   
  
  
It was several minutes before she heard the young ninja come down the stairs. She had heard him shower earlier, and guessed that he had wanted to change cloths before Akari and Ryoga arrived. What she saw when he came down was almost as startling as Ranma's return.  
  
He was dressed in a loose fitting t-shirt and jeans, both men's. He was wearing a pair of sneakers, in place of the slippers he almost always wore, and again, those were men's as well. His hair was pulled back into a pony tail, and for the first time EVER, she had to admit that he was just as handsome as Ranma, maybe even more. But she wondered at why he was dressed like this.  
  
"Konatsu?"  
  
  
He smiled at her, but she could tell it was forced. "I have to make a good impression for our guests. That was Ryoga on the phone. They are at the train station, and I am going to meet them." He waved to her a little before walking out the door. "Be back in a few, Ukyou."  
  
  
She just watched, feeling something tearing into her heart. She suspected why he was dressed as he was. He was trying to compete with Ranma, prove that he was a man despite the way he dressed. Show her that he could be normal, and something desirable. She felt new tears try and slip down her cheek, and she scrubbed her eyes with her palms. She had never been good enough to be anything more to Ranma than a friend, but for Konatsu, she had always been too good. He had loved her unconditionally, and she had treated him poorly at every opportunity. Only recently had she begun to feel something for him, that maybe their could be a relationship. And she had thrown all those new budding feelings out the window, when Ranma had returned.   
  
She would have to tell him. Explain that Ranma was now nothing more than a friend, and tell him that she cared for him. She had a bad feeling about what was to come, and she hoped that they could have a few happy moments before all hell broke loose…  
  
  
  
**************************************************  
  
  
  
Carefully adjusting his glasses, Mousse silently cursed this fat bastard of a ship captain for holding him up. The man insisted that he oversee the loading of all the Kunos' product, eighty top of the line Kuno Heavy Industries TK-12 assault rifles, stored inside special containers marking them as highly sensitive biological material, for ease of transport. He kept babbling in poor Chinese about following procedure. Mousse suspected that the man was planning on having his men kill him before they leave, taking their payment and the shipment with them. Obviously he had not heard about the last group of fellow who tried that. He readied several weapons up his sleeve, making sure he was ready for anything. Well, almost anything…  
  
  
He first noticed something was out of the ordinary, when two of the men aboard ship started pointing, shouting down to the captain in what Mousse believed to be Arabic. The captain, irritated at being interrupted, yelled back, and turned to look behind him. He was quite for some time, staring silently back along the dock. Curious, but still expecting some type of attack, he glanced at the captain. "What is it?"  
  
  
He raised a hand, face a curious mix of worry and anger. His accent made it almost impossible for the Chinese youth to follow. "Friend of yours?"  
  
  
Mousse glanced back only briefly, then back to the captain. His mouth was open in a response, when his brain told him what he had just seen. He turned back slowly, eyes wide enough to be seen even behind his thick glasses. "No… It-it-it can't be…"  
  
  
Yet it was. Striding towards the boat, dressed completely in black, face as pale white as a ghosts, was a man dead for over a year… He tried to move, tried to scream, but nothing came out. He was frozen stiff, helpless before the spirit of a man he helped murder.  
  
  
  
***************************************************  
  
  
  
The captain noticed his change. "I am guessing no." He waved his men down to the dock. "We can't be having witnesses to our business here. Be taking care of him lads…" The captain sat back and smiled. He had hired his men from some of the best mercenary groups in the middle east, to make sure all his gun trade business was safe. While they had left most of their weapons in mainland china, with their contacts there, his men did not need them. They were almost all trained in military hand to hand.   
  
  
His men came down, several being called down from below decks, and it did not take long for all dozen of them to have arrived, some armed with whatever they could easily get their hands on. He patted the young Chinese youth the Kuno's used as a delivery man on the back, hard enough to make him stumble forward.   
  
  
"We will be taking care of this crazy white faced guy that be scaring you. We take care of him good." Then we will be taking care of you, my friend. A good day indeed.  
  
  
  
****************************************************  
  
  
He moved slowly, watching each of the men coming down from the boat, and was a little concerned. Since his contact with Akane, he had regained more of his fighting skills. She had seen him fight more than anyone, and her memories of him had brought back more than he could have hoped for. Still, their were a lot of these guys, and while he could feel that they were not trained in using their Ki, they were trained to fight. He could see it in every movement, every gesture. The old Ranma would have plowed through them without blinking, but until he got more of his skill back, he would have to play it smart.   
  
  
He stopped a dozen yards away from them, as they fanned out around him. He decided to try and bluff them, and the umbrella, leveling it at Mousse.  
  
  
"I only want him. I won't hurt the rest of you. You can go." He made his face go as hard as he could, but he was feeling odd, almost afraid. His moods had been changing rapidly since he had touched Akane. He hoped what ever had passed between them did not get him killed.  
  
  
The big guy, the one dressed like a sailor from all those movies, waved his hand and spoke in a language Ranma had never heard before. He did not need to understand it though, he had a pretty good idea what was being said from the laughter and the men stepping in.   
  
  
  
*****************************************************  
  
  
  
The captain's grin got wider when the painted up youth told them he would not hurt them. He translated to his men, and all of them had a good laugh. He noticed the Kuno's lackey was not joining them however. He was still staring as if the grim reaper had just leveled his bony finger at him.  
  
  
Shaking his head, he told his men to take care of the oddball, and he got ready to knock this Mousse fellow in the back of the head while he was still staring. It was then that all hell decided to break loose.  
  
  
  
******************************************************  
  
  
  
When Ranma leveled that umbrella at him, and told them that he only wanted him, he nearly collapse in tears, begging for his life. But suddenly, the captain and his men were moving on the spirit of Ranma, and much to his amazement, the spirit began to fight back.  
  
  
It was amazing to watch. He had never seen Ranma fight like this before. It had always been one on one, against foes who were far from his skill level, or foes that were far to powerful for him to fight in a conventional manner. But here, against men who were obviously trained fighters, and having numbers over him, Ranma's skill began to show through.  
  
  
He opened with a powerful thrust to the stomach, doubling over the fist of his opponents, the using that man's head as a spring board, back flipped over the man rushing him from behind, and again lashing out with the umbrella as he flew over, to land a nasty shot to that ones head. The fight continued from there, Ranma weaving all around and through his foes, untouchable and in control.   
  
  
Yet despite the skill of it all, something did not seem right. Mousse's fear soaked mind tried to puzzle it out. Why was a spirit fighting back? Why did it not simply pass through them, and claim him? Perhaps it could not.   
  
  
That was when the first blow landed against the Ranma spirit thing. One of the sailors managed to slip up behind him, one that Ranma had already thought he had taken down, and returned the hit with the umbrella ten fold, trying to take Ranma's head off with a telescoping baton. As Saotome staggered, another was on him, then another, blows raining down. Ranma staggered, and fell to his knees, all fear left him. It was no spirit, no untouchable foe come to take his soul.   
  
  
His fear began to leave him at just the right moment, for he felt the captain move behind him. Mousse sprang into motion, pivoting, his hands a barely seeable blur, and in a flash he had spun around completely, facing back towards Ranma. He heard two thumps behind him, one softer, the other much louder, and shook his head. He wiped the sword clean, and slid it back up his sleeve. One less problem to deal with.   
  
  
The sailors were all watching Ranma, who was still kneeling. He did not know how Saotome had come back, but it was time to end this, once and for all, and claim the prize he had been deprived of by Tatewaki. He slid a knife into his hand, and rushed forward, unconcerned by the men around Ranma. The mistake Ranma had made was that he had been fighting only to take down his foes, not take them out. Mousse had no such problem.   
  
  
He was on his old enemy in a flash, grabbing him by that silly pony-tail, and lifting him high. He caught sight of Ranma's eyes, surprise, pain, and anger a wash across them.  
  
  
"This is for ruining my life, you worthless dog. Even in life…"  
  
  
His sword drove deep into Ranma's chest, into his heart, and released the hair, holding him up by sword alone. He smiled wickedly, a triumph he had never expected having been brought to him, when he noticed. Ranma, despite the wound, was not bleeding.  
  
  
  
********************************************************  
  
  
  
*Blink*  
  
  
Steel cutting into her cheek, carving flesh from bone. The pain was horrid, endless. Skin and Muscle sliced apart with practiced skill…  
  
  
*Blink*  
  
  
Wood impacted with his skull with surprising force; a dull, thunderous pain flared through his skull. He had only time for one last thought as his arms went slack against the bonds they had struggled against, as his lifeblood poured down his body. He apologized to her for having failed to protect her this one last time.  
  
  
*Blink*  
  
  
Flesh being carved, cold steel gleaming in the bright light above her…  
  
  
*Blink*  
  
  
The wooden practice sword falls. He can see it as if it were moving in slow motion, see the wood grain, see his own face in the highly polished surface…   
  
  
*Blink*  
  
  
Cold steel cutting…  
  
  
*Blink*  
  
  
Wooden shaft shattering bone…  
  
  
  
*******************************************************  
  
  
  
Ranma screamed, a cry of rage that was matched in volume and pitch by a huge black bird that seemed to drop out of the night upon them. Mousse staggered back as the bird rushed him, and he dropped the sword, and with it Ranma, who fell back to his knees.  
  
  
The bird did not fly into him, and peck his eyes out, as he had feared, but flew past his head, and landed on one of the unloaded crates. It turned, and stared at all those gathered. It cawed briefly, as if telling them something.   
  
  
Mousse wondered at the odd behavior, but decided on more pressing matters. He turned his attention back to Ranma, and was shocked to see him not only still moving, but pulling the sword free with one hand. With a growl, he pointed.   
  
  
"You heard the Captain's orders! Kill him!"  
  
  
The sword slipped free of Ranma's chest, and Mousse shuddered, fear building again. Ranma was not only not bleeding, but the sword was clean as well. No blood. He could not be human, maybe he was a spirit after all…  
  
  
The first man moved, the same one with the telescoping baton, and Ranma moved faster that Mousse could follow. He hand shot out, catching his hand, and then twisting with so much force and pressure that the arm snapped like dry twigs. The fellow scream was cut short by the introduction of three feet of steel into his throat, as Ranma took the blade beside him up, and thrust it above him.  
  
  
Ranma's aura flared, as his body began to draw in Ki, and it flared a dark red, almost bloodlike. As it rose, it took shape, and Mousse cast a quick glance back at the bird, and was no longer surprised to see the similarity. What ever he had become, somehow he and the bird were connected.  
  
  
But by then, Mousse had no more time to think, because Ranma was coming, moving with speed Mousse had never seen. The sailors tried to slow him down, get payback for their friend, and he cut through them like a scythe. A kick to the face hard enough to shatter bone, blows to the heart and throat, grabs that broke arms, and ended live. He was death walking, and those men only proved to be a mild distraction.  
  
  
And then they were down, and Mousse had to defend himself. The two squared off, Mousse launching attacks with whatever weapon slid into hand, launching techniques meant to kill or cripple, and Ranma fought as he always did, fists alone. Each hit did damage, yet none of them seemed to slow Ranma, none of them seemed to even hurt him.   
  
  
Each second of the fight began to tell on Mousse, for he had not prepared for a fight like this, and he had to stay on the defensive constantly. Yet he began to notice something. He could not fight Ranma like this, toe to toe. Ranma had been that much better, yet now Ranma's attacks, for all their impossible speed and durability, he seemed to not have the skill to back it up. Under the right circumstances, Mousse thought he could beat him. Especially if he had allies.   
  
  
Mousse suddenly flung out a smoke bomb, a last resort picked up from the Kuno's ninja Sansuke, and leapt away and back, meaning to land on the boat, and launch himself into the water. Fly away into the night as a duck. It did not work out though, as Ranma had used this trick in many a fight, and was in the air with him. He felt someone grab his jacket, and someone grabbing his face. For just a brief moment, he suddenly was inside Ranma's mind, and Ranma in his, as if they had joined for just a brief second. Then it was over, and half a dozen blows pounded into his head with such force that it knocked him out of his jacket, and he was falling, hitting the boats edge.  
  
  
His body ached, his mind a blur, both from pain and his sudden connection to Ranma. He rolled over, just in time to see Ranma's dark form dropping down onto him, leg extended for a kick that would finish him. From out of the shadows a second smoke bomb came, and he felt arms wrap around him, and then everything was wet as he and his savior rolled into the water. He was too grateful at having been saved to be mad at the Kuno's for having their pet ninja follow him.   
  
  
  
****************************************************  
  
  
  
Ranma's kick was driven by strength he had never had before, and the whole boat rocked as he hit it, metal warping under the impact. All he had left of his opponent was the jacket he had taken away from him.   
  
  
He slid it on, for from that brief contact with Mousse, he had gained an understanding of how he did all those impossible tricks with hiding weapons. He was far from Mousses' skill, but with this specially designed coat, he now had an arsenal with which to get justice.   
  
  
Walking from the boat slowly, his mind still full of rage. He felt like he had to release it, lest he go mad, and he turned, channeling his rage into confidence, that with his newfound skills and powers, that he was unstoppable, and from his memories came a technique, as if from nowhere, called by his need. His aura flared again, rolling out from him, and he brought his hands up.  
  
  
"Mouko Takabisha!"  
  
  
The blast of confidence Ki tore into the boat, blasting through several crates in the process. Things were silent for just a brief second, then their was an explosion, and the air around him turned white, and he was flying.  
  
  
He rolled to a standing position, just as in the fight with Mousse, feeling no pain. His skin seemed to mend itself as he watched, and within moments, he was good as new, the only sign of him being blown up moments before was his clothing smoking briefly.   
  
  
He heard sirens, and ran, leaping to the roofs, and heading away into the night, mind a buzz at what had happened to him, what he had become.   
  
  
  
*****************************************************  
  
  
  
Mousse sat staring out across the water, even his duck form to beaten to swim properly. Sansuke allowed him to ride atop his back, softly cursing at having to help a duck swim.   
  
  
Mousse himself was scared. Only he seemed to know what was happening, what was coming for them. He had seen the darkness inside Ranma's heart, and for all his ease at killing, all the Kuno's insanity, all of Cologne's cruelness, none of it compared to the murderous rage that existed inside Saotome. And he would come for them, each and every one, not stopping till they were dead. Not stopping till they had paid for their crimes.  
  
He shuddered softly, wondering how he was going to survive…  
  
  
  
*******************************************************  
  
  
  
The crow cawed, looking down from a rooftop, down at the image of itself, burned into the ground by the explosion, and Ranma's Ki. It had begun for real now, and justice would be served. It took flight, and rose into the night, heading off in search of the next in line for Ranma.  
  
  
Another watcher sat silently. All the events below seemed so familiar. Memories from long ago. The small form hopped away, into the darkness, plans needing to be set in motion…  
  
  
End of Chapter Four.  
  
  
  
  
Authors Notes: Whew. I had to get away from the character building stuff, and do a little action. As you may have noticed, Ranma is pretty strong for a guy who can't remember all his fighting skills. Well, if you remember from The Crow, Eric Draven was a musician, and we all saw how much ass whooping skill he seemed to have. Ranma has gotten stronger and faster in the bargain. Considering he was already strong and faster than most, you can see how much better he would be now with the crows gifts.  
  
  
Next, the memory thing. Again, from the Movie, Eric Draven seemed to have a lot of control over his ability to get memories, even dropping them into another person in order to beat the big baddie at the end. Since fighting skills are prime in the Ranma series, in combat, I figured it would be a handy trick to make Ranma more formidable (As if he needs it… Oh wait. He will ;) ).   
  
  
Into why I am writing this series. I am doing this completely unprepared. No working out the plot ahead of time if I can help it. I just sit down and write. Boom! Out comes this. It is really kind of freeing. And I am using this to bone up my skills for my main two series, EL-Hazard : Ancients Dreams, and Ranma 1/2 : Turning Points. I am so pleased by the reviews of this series, I have been working on it pretty non stop. I hope you enjoy.  
  
  
Anyway. I really appreciate all of you that have sent me comments. You are doing a wonderful job of building my already huge ego into mammoth proportions. My family and Friends thank you a lot. Keep them coming, and I'll keep writing. Ok? OK!!!  
  
  
Anyway, in the next chapter, RYOGA!!! Akari!!! How will I bring back the umbrella I forgot to make Ranma pick up? Will the Tendos show up? Wait and see. I can promise a little lime scented scene. WHOO HOO!!!  



	5. A Reunion of Friends

C+C at darkangel98s@yahoo.com . Flames can go to hell. Also, check out my website at www.geocities.com/shadow_angel48s, where all my other fan fictions are kept.  
  
Legal Stuff: I don't own any of the copyrighted materials in these little works of fiction that I produce, and am in no way challenging said copyrights. All I have come up with is the story I have stuck them into.   
  
  
  
The Crow 1/2: Dragons Rising  
Chapter Five: A Reunion of Friends  
  
  
Ryoga, Akari in tow, Konatsu leading the way, was worried and concerned about Ukyou. She had sounded so urgent over the phone, yet had told him nothing. Konatsu also refused to fill him in either. He and Ukyou had always been close, before Ranma's death they had held the same goal. Separate Akane and Ranma. After his death, they had been joined in grief and guilt. But since he had moved in with Akari, and Ukyou's attempted suicide, they had grown apart. He had just felt uncomfortable around her.  
  
  
Now he was concerned, wondering what could have made her call them so late at night and ask them to hurry out. The only thing he could think of, beside her thinking about another attempt on her life, was Akane. He prayed it was neither.  
  
  
"Ryo-chan! Were here! STOP!"  
  
  
At Akari's words, he stopped and looked around. Even following someone, he had almost managed to miss the place. He smiled and gave her hand a little squeeze. She accepted more than his cursed form, and he was so very lucky to have found her.   
  
  
"Thank you Akari. If it wasn't for you, I would probably be in Hokkaido by now."   
  
  
"Oh you! You're not THAT bad." She brushed back a few errant strands of the pink stripe in her hair that had fallen into her eyes, and smiled at him in that overly cute way that she had that always made him smile back. He started to say something back, when their Ninja guide cleared his throat.  
  
  
"Ukyou IS waiting for you. We should hurry. Important thing s are happ…"  
  
  
He never got to finish. A dark form dropped down from the roof, and Ryoga immediately felt it's aura from the newcomers presence. He stepped between him, and Akari, dropping into a defensive crouch. Whoever this was, he was strong AND angry.   
  
  
"Who the hell are you?"  
  
  
The man, who had landed in a crouch, rose, and Ryoga could see the odd coat he wore, covered in Chinese characters, and the silver dragon reflecting off the shirt beneath. The strangers face turned up, and it took a moment for Ryoga to recognize the white painted face that was looking back at him. His intake of breath was loud in the sudden silence.  
  
  
"Hi Ryoga…"  
  
  
"RANMA!!!"  
  
  
  
*******************************************************  
  
  
  
Ukyou heard Ranma's name a moment before the window to her restaurant exploded inwards, Ranma flying inside and narrowly missing her where she worked by the grill. She abandoned the food she had been preparing for Ryoga and his girl friend, and dove for cover. She did not see Ranma hit, but she heard the impact, and winced.  
  
  
"HOW DARE YOU PRETEND TO BE DEAD!!!"  
  
  
Ukyou came up to her feet fast, just in time to catch Ryoga's flying kick which connected with Ranma, who did not even try to dodge. The wall had already caved in where Ranma had hit, and this attack sent him all the way through, into the kitchen.  
  
  
She ran over, and grabbed her spatula, intent on stopping the fight. She felt another presence beside her, and glanced over at Akari and Konatsu, who were watching the two through the hole, their eyes wide in shock.  
  
  
"This used to happen all the time, you know…" It wasn't quite true. Nothing quite like this ever had.   
  
  
"HOW DARE YOU ALLOW THEM TO HURT AKANE LIKE THAT!!! YOU BASTARD!!!"  
  
  
Ukyou heard the next attack, and Ranma's leaving through the restaurant through a back wall. All three moved at once, intent on stopping Ryoga from send Ranma to the grave again. Akari and Konatsu went through the door, for some reason avoiding the hole. Ukyou herself took the direct route, and found the kitchen empty, and immediately ran to the exit to her kitchen. She peaked out, and found Ranma rising from the ground, and Ryoga barreling down on him. She started to join the fight, when Ranma waved her off. Shocked, she hesitated, and in that moment Ranma took Ryoga's final attack. He did not move, did not even flinch. He simply let Ryoga hit him with all of his impossible strength, and went airborne, launched into a stack of crates in the alley behind the restaurant.  
  
  
Everything was silent for a few moments, Akari and Konatsu moving up behind her, and staring dumbly, Ryoga still in the punching position, and Ranma's legs the only thing that could be seen from the wreckage of the crate. For just a moment, She though that Ryoga HAD killed him. The punch alone was hard enough, and right in the chest. But before she had a chance to run to him, Ranma stirred.  
  
  
He rose slowly, and was frowning. She was so happy at first, she did not notice what was wrong with him. She heard Konatsu gasp, and glanced at him, before looking back over at Ranma, to see what had the ninja unnerved. She then heard her own voice, screaming, and the world spiral into blackness.  
  
  
  
*****************************************************  
  
  
  
Ranma rose to his feet slowly. Not because he was hurt, for Ryoga hand not managed to even slow him down. He had just decided that Ryoga had needed this, to blow off steam. But enough was enough. He could not allow Ucchan's to take any more damage. He was brushing himself off, when he finally noticed Ukyou having fainted to the ground, and everyone else staring at him, all pale. He glanced around him, then down.  
  
  
He blinked. He had not even felt the broken board punch into his chest. Sighing, he reached down and pulled the thing out, and let it drop to the street, before looking up at his old foe/friend.   
  
  
"Are we done yet? Or do you want to have another go? I won't just stand here next time though."  
  
  
Ryoga finally seemed to shake his fear and shock off. He shook his head, as if to clear it.  
  
  
"What the hell is going on here? What the hell happened to you Ranma?"  
  
  
Ranma sighed. He walked over, and despite Ryoga's attempt to avoid it, he slid an arm around the Lost Boys shoulder.  
  
  
"It's a long story. To start it off… I died…"  
  
  
He led the way inside, and Konatsu, finally back around, shook Akari and began to try and bring around Ukyou.  
  
  
  
*******************************************************  
  
  
  
Mousse was kneeling in the center of the huge Dojo beneath the Kuno estates. The only good thing to come out of the events that night was that he was not alone in his troubles. The little ninja Sansuke knelt right beside him, and occasionally righted Mousse when the battered Chinese boy started to fall over.  
  
  
Kuno was moving through sword form a mere three or for feet away from him, sword flashing in the bright light, cutting far too close for comfort. Mousse and Sansuke did not move, however, did not flinch no matter how close the blade came. They had both seen other servants die for moving away from those practiced cut. Tatewaki took it as a personal affront to his honor if you moved, if you doubted his skill. It made it no easier that occasionally he did slip up and kill some one.  
  
  
"So. Thou art most certain it is that foul sorcerer Saotome who you fought tonight?" He spoke while moving, slicing the air with three feet of razor sharp steel.  
  
  
"Yes. It was him. I saw him up close." Mousses speech was slurred, his jaw swollen so much that it made conversation difficult.   
  
  
"And he said he came specifically for you?"  
  
  
Mousse started to nod, when Sansuke elbowed him. He changed his mind.  
  
  
"That was what he said."  
  
  
Kuno was silent, whirling steel around him. Suddenly he leveled the blade, the edge resting against Mousses forehead. Sweat began to pour down the Chinese boys face.  
  
  
"And you let him live?"  
  
  
"I hit him. I swear it! A sword right through his chest. He ignored it, it was like he didn't feel it. He pulled it right out, and started killing people. I swear!" If Kuno thought he was lying, he would die. Plain and simple.  
  
  
Kuno himself looked over at his personal ninja. "Is this true, Sansuke?"  
  
  
Sansuke nodded slightly, and Kuno smiled.   
  
  
"You are dismissed, the both of you." He turned and walked away, not looking back at either. "And get yourself cleaned up, Mousse. Servants of the Most noble Kuno clan must keep up appearances, no matter how low born."  
  
  
Mousse bristled, but was pulled along before he could respond to the insult. Sansuke did not want the Kuno's best lieutenant dead because of a ill chosen statement. Soon they were gone, and Kuno stood motionless blade still drawn, smiling.  
  
  
His sister seemed to walk out of the shadows and wrap herself around him, pressing her naked body to his. He wrapped his one free arm around her, and traced her spine with his hand. She shivered beneath him.  
  
  
"Did you hear, dear sister. Ranma is alive. Finally, we can have our chance to get vengeance against him properly. We know his weaknesses, and through them, we shall face him again, and teach him that one does not defile the Kuno name.  
  
  
Kodachi purred, and ran her tongue across his sweaty neck.  
  
  
"Enough, brother dear. My new toy has passed on, and I am still in the mood to play… Come. Join me?"  
  
  
He nodded, and the two strolled out of the room, holding each other too improperly for siblings. Their minds both on future pleasures…  
  
  
  
*******************************************************  
  
  
  
Walking slowly across the Neko Hanten, her old body tired after a couple of days of sleepless nights. She had not been able to sleep ever since she had felt that odd Ki force. In the beginning she had been sure she had never felt it's like before, but now, after many, many hours of thought, she had come to realize that she had felt it's like before. So many years ago, that it was impossible for her to remember exactly how long it really was…  
  
  
  
282 years ago. Joketsuzoku (Village of the Amazons)  
  
  
  
She awakened from a nightmare too horrible for her to remember, and into another that she prayed never to. She was inside one of the villages huts, her mother and her sisters standing near the doorway, looking out into what first appeared to be the light of day. It took many moments for her fevered, battle weary mind to realize the truth. She could see the light dancing and flickering, smell the smoke, hear the screams. Her home was burning.  
  
  
Seeing her awake, her father knelt beside her, and wiped her forehead with a damp cloth. He tried to sooth her, voice gentle, touch light and caring. Yet still she struggled, trying to rise. Yet her body would not answer her call, and all she could do was shiver weakly. How had she gotten this way? All she could remember were faint images of battle, and of their utter defeat.   
  
  
Her mother was called over, and together, her parents spoke to her, telling her to rest, trying to calm her. All she could manage to make out however, was their mentions that the outside would not harm her, that she was safe. That was when she felt it… A surge of dark energy that even she could feel, and terror over took her, limbs moments before too weak to move, suddenly had strength to thrash, and she fought against them, and against what she knew was coming for her….  
  
  
  
Present Day…  
  
  
  
She could remember little of that time, except general impressions. It had occurred after her defeat in battle against a foe she could not remember. She had been near death, and her memories washed into a blur of events. Yet now, she WAS sure that what ever it was back then, was here again. It had decimated half the tribe then. What could she do, alone? IF only her plans had not been ruined by those Kuno brats…  
  
  
She did not realize he was standing there, until she was almost running into him. When she realized it, her staff blurred in her hands, and she barely managed to check the strike, before crushing Happosai's skull. He did not flinch, did not even move, simply stood there, watching her, face passive.  
  
  
"Happi… What are you doing here, in the middle of the night? Shouldn't you be off, stealing women's unmentionables, for your collection?" Her irritation at his presence as clear.  
  
  
He remained standing there, looking into her eyes, as if searching for something. After a few silent moments, she turned, walking away. "Go about your business, Happi. I am too busy to deal with your foolishness right now."  
  
  
"You should leave Japan Cologne-chan. Before he comes for you. I can't do anything to stop it this time, and you WILL face justice…"  
  
  
She had frozen in her tracks. What was he talking about? She turned, fully intent on beating an answer out of him, but found no one there. Somehow he had slipped away without her feeling it. She frowned.   
  
  
"How?" It was a simple statement, with many questions behind it. How did he know anything about that force? How had he snuck up on her, and vanished just the same. How had he helped her before? She was now more confused than ever. She swore to find the errant aged martial artist, and get answers from him, but for now, she needed rest. She was not as young as she used to be.  
  
  
As she climbed the stairs, heading to her bedroom, something came to her. Those events so many years ago, had occurred not too long after Happosai had left her life. Suddenly, talking to him again was very important.  
  
  
  
*********************************************************  
  
  
  
Ryoga and Ranma were back outside, in the early morning light, and they circled each other, watching each other for weaknesses. It was Ryoga that struck first, and suddenly they were exchanging blows at an impossible speed. They took the fight all over the open lot at the end of the alley behind Ucchan's, across the ground and into the air. In the end, it was Ryoga that struck the telling blow, a mid air spin kick that grounded Ranma the hard way. Yet Ranma was far from down, and leap out of the small impact crater, and into a ready stance, awaiting Ryoga's next attack.  
  
  
Ryoga landed and grinned, pressing the attack. "You've gotten soft Ranma. Sloppy! I can beat you with my hands tied!" Ryoga launched into a powerful punch, intent on driving Ranma back.  
  
  
What happened next was far from expected. Ranma did not step back, and did not dodge. He waited till the very last second, and moved, his hand seemed to not cross the space in between where it had been resting, and to where it had caught Ryoga's fist. And his head did not shift, it stayed rock steady, even against Ryoga's immense strength.   
  
  
"I may have lost a few tricks, but I gained some new stuff to make up for it." He was grinning when the mind link went off, and for a moment their minds were joined…  
  
  
  
*******************************************************  
  
  
  
Ryoga was sitting in Akane's hospital room, his turn on watch having been over for an hour, but not wanting to leave. He held her hand, and watched her slow, shallow breathing. The surgery had been long and rough, and she had lost a lot of blood before hand. She was lucky to have survived.  
  
  
Ryoga found himself talking to her, which he had never been good at, and about things he never believed he would tell her.  
  
  
He started with his curse. About how he was really P-chan, and that he had been taking advantage of her for so long. And he apologized, letting her know how sorry he was that he had done so.  
  
  
That weight off his chest, he began to tell her other things. About his travels across the world. How he had seen sunsets on every major continent. How he had been to the tops of the Himalayas, the depths of the Congo, and all over their own country of Japan. Of all the peoples he had met, all the cultures he had seen. And about how he had wished she had been beside him.  
  
  
That had brought him to another subject he normally avoided. Having already confessed his curse to her, he saw no reason to hold back. He began to tell her about his feelings for her, about how he had loved her ever since she had first laid eyes on her, about how he would do anything for her. He gave her hand a little squeeze.  
  
  
"I love you Akane." Finally out, he felt completely free. It felt good to get all of this out. He leaned over in her, intent on kissing her forehead, when she spoke softly, still sleeping.   
  
  
"I-I love you too…" His heart had just a brief moment to soar, before crashing down. "…Ranma…Always."  
  
  
He righted himself, and walked from the room, face emotionless. He stepped out into the hall, and almost ran into Soun Tendo sleeping in front of the door with a chair he had dragged from somewhere. He slipped past him, and walked silently from the hospital. He was silent the entire three hours it took for him to find his way into the parking garage. He saw daylight ahead of him, and started to make a run for freedom, to get away from here, when a voice stopped him.  
  
  
"RYOGA-KUN! WAIT UP!"  
  
  
He turned in mid stride, and froze in place. It was the last person he had expected to see here, and somehow just the person he needed the most.   
  
  
Akari held her arms open as he came to her, and wrapped her in his arms. He cried then, letting all the sorrow and loss her felt at knowing her could never have Akane's heart, and all his guilt at having not even waited till Ranma's body was cold before trying to move in on his fiancée. He told her all this in big weeping gasps, and she held him, soothing him silently, telling him it was all ok. It would all be ok…  
  
  
  
******************************************************  
  
  
  
He was surprised to come to, with Ranma hugging him. Given the intense flashback he had just had, this whole situation was almost surreal. He was not surprised to find tears in his eyes.  
  
  
"I am so sorry Ryoga. I made your life a living hell, and I am so sorry…" Ranma's voice, near tears himself, brought Ryoga back to reality. They both separated, and Ryoga gave him a pat on the shoulder.   
  
  
"Listen Ranma. I'm sorry too. I wasn't exactly easy to get along with either. I guess we have a lot to be sorry for huh?"  
  
  
"Yea. I guess."  
  
  
Although Ranma looked a little worse for wear, Ryoga himself felt better than he had in years. All that sorrow and hate he had carried for so long was gone, drained away as if it had never existed. He smiled.  
  
  
"Is that memory thing gonna happen again if I touch you?"  
  
  
"No. I don't think so."  
  
  
"Good, cause I'm not done practicing yet!" With that, he swept Ranma off his feet, and Ranma flipped in mid fall to do a handstand and launch away. Both of them found themselves laughing as they rushed towards each other. Just briefly, it felt like old times again…  
  
  
  
*****************************************************  
  
  
  
The others were inside, having just woken up from a mid day nap, and were talking over what Ranma had told them of the night before, and of his request to the all. Konatsu dislike having to help Ranma, but did not want to allow anything bad to happen to those that had already suffered, so had agreed.   
  
  
He was finishing up boarding up the broken front window, with supplies he had bought in town, when someone knocked at the door. They had put a sign up stating that they were closed for renovations, but a few of the regulars had ignored it. He sighed and hurried over to answer it.  
  
  
He opened the door, ready to tell them they were not open, and to come back in a few day, and was surprised to find no one there. He looked up and down the street, and only saw the normal pedestrian traffic. Shrugging, he started to close the door when he saw the things lying at his feet. The umbrella Ranma had left with last night, and a burned up case that looked like it had been blown up. He picked them up, staggering under the wait of the umbrella, and stumbled inside.  
  
  
  
*******************************************************  
  
  
  
The others had gone already, as dusk had started to fall. Konatsu had to lead them over to the Tendo's since Akari had never been there, and Ryoga could not have found it if it were right next door. Ukyou and Ranma were alone, upstairs.  
  
  
They were in her bedroom, her watching him, him looking into the street below. He wore a sad little smile, and turned to look at her, and she wondered why he had ask her to stay.  
  
  
"When me and Ryoga were fighting out back today, he touched me, and I read his memories, and I relieved him of a lot of pain and regrets. He was at peace with himself for the first time since I had entered his life."  
  
  
He turned, and began to walk towards her. She felt a little afraid, for some reason.  
  
  
"I have been thinking. What if I didn't come back only to get revenge? What if I came back to put people's lives back on track as well?" He was standing close to her now, body almost pressing against hers.  
  
  
"I have not finished with you yet Ukyou. There is still business between the two of us."  
  
  
She became afraid, frozen in fear as his hands reached up, taking her head, images of him twisting sharply, snapping her neck, and ending her life for her part in the crimes against him. Yet that did not happen, she felt that sensation again, and their minds seemed to join, and then he was kissing her, her passion, her love of him burning through them both. It was a race against time, for both could feel this moment's end coming, like the inevitable. They struggled to remove their cloths and to keep running their hands across each other. Son their bodies were bare, hot flesh exposed to the cool room air, and they pressed on towards the bed…  
  
  
  
*******************************************************  
  
  
  
Her mind was abuzz with images from him, through their link. As they moved together, passion and pleasure rising, she began to see things more clearly than she ever had.  
  
  
She saw Akane, for the first time as he saw her. Laughing, smiling, sparing with him. His battles against unbelievable odds to protect her. Facing death time and again, just to have her near him again. And each image brought with it a warm feeling, like someone holding her close, like someone protecting her. Like love.  
  
  
As her body reached it's physical limits of endurance and pleasure, more images flooded into her. This time they were her own memories, of Konatsu. How he always worried over her, and protected her. How what ever she wanted, he made happen. How he had taken care of her, even after her failed suicide. How no matter what she did, he always loved her. Those same feelings rolled across each image, and it was no surprise to her when she discovered that they were no longer Ranma's feelings, but her own. She had loved him all along, had just been unwilling to admit it, lost in a love that could never be. She called out his name as she climaxed, and darkness took her, energies spent…  
  
  
  
****************************************************  
  
  
  
She awoke sweaty and naked, more tired than she had ever been in her life. Raising herself up on her elbows, she found the room empty.   
  
  
"Ranma? RANMA?"  
  
  
She did not need the silence to know that he was gone however. She could not feel his presence in the restaurant, and knew that she was completely alone.   
  
  
She rose, knowing she needed to get to the Tendo's before Konatsu began to worry. She had kept the poor boy waiting for too long already. She showered and dressed, surprised at how good she felt. Surprised as well about the fact that she no longer felt the same way about Ranma. She still loved him, but as her best friend, not a fiancée anymore. He had helped her realize where her feeling should and truly did lie. While she would never tell Konatsu about what had happened here this night, she was not ashamed, and would remember it always. As a goodbye to what Ranma and she had once been. A goodbye to Ranma himself, for she now knew what would happen to him once he found peace. She did not know how she knew, but she did….  
  
  
She went downstairs, freshly dressed in her Okonomiyaki sellers fighting uniform, and retrieved her battle spatula and bandoleer of throwing mini-spatulas. She was just about to turn out the lights when she found the battered case lying on the table nearest the door, a small origami crow atop it. She hurried over, and picked up the bird, and turned it in her hand, and slowly unfolded it. The letter inside was short and brief.  
  
  
  
******************************************************  
  
  
  
Dear Ucchan  
  
This case was dropped of by an unknown party, and apparently was taken from the fight with Mousse before the cops arrived. I want you to give half of what is inside to the Tendo's, and use the other half to help you and Konatsu, and Ryoga and Akari get started on your lives.   
  
I hope this will be done soon, and in case I never see you again, you were one of the best friends a guy could have. I love you Ukyou, my friend.  
  
Always,  
Ran-Chan  
  
  
  
********************************************************  
  
  
  
She opened the case, tears in her eyes, and saw all the money inside. Enough to take care of all of them for quite a while. She wept, and smiled at the same time. He had made things right yet again.   
  
  
"You were a better friend than I deserved, Ran-chan. Far better…"  
  
  
  
  
End of Chapter Five  
  
  
  
  
Authors Notes: Whew. Another chapter finished. I almost scrapped this chapter and wrote something else, since my word program screwed up, and dumped half the story. Grrrrrrr…  
  
  
Well. Lets see what I need to go into. The Kuno siblings less than wholesome relationship. I don't want to go into it. I can't wait till I get done with those two. Note I did not say kill. WHA HA HA. Actually I am not sure how they are going to go out, but I assure you it will be bad.  
  
  
Ranma and Ukyou having sex. Ok. Come one. It was closure to 14 years of pursuing the boy, and wanting no other. Plus I had to have a way to make her passions rise, and to make the contact long enough to do some good. Ranma has some cool powers, but I am not going to make him a god.  
  
  
Anyway, I like Ukyou, it is my fic, and she is gonna get what she wanted. Just this once, and then she can go live with Konatsu in happiness forever. Yea.  
  
  
And for those of you that don't know who Konatsu is, he is NOT TSUBASA KURINAI!!! That stupid cross dressing ninja who also disguises himself as various bits of scenery. Konatsu is ANOTHER cross dressing Ninja, who has actual fighting skills, and is a really cool character. Ukyou has some real weird, gender confused guys in her life huh?  
  
  
Another character some of you might not know, is Akari Unryu. She is one of the ultra Kawaii characters in the series, with this little pink stripe of hair. Except for his temper, Ryoga and Akari are the same, and she really loves him, and not only knows about his cures, but accepts it fully. In the series, I am pretty sure they would have eventually became a serious couple.  
  
  
Oh yea. I am changing my writing schedule. I am not working on this exclusively. I am going to work on a few one shot stories in between chapters. My first is already up, and posted on www.fanfiction.net, in the Ranma section. It is titled What a Day, and goes over what would happen if Ranma's usual bad luck with relationships hit him all in one day. A kind of pointless and up beat happy fic. I hope you check it out, and seen me some comments.   
  
  
Next Chapter: ATTACK ON THE NEKO HANTEN!!! Ranma's discovers he has no fear. Cologne makes a few nasty plans, and Mousse and Sansuke attack!  
  
Till Later, PEACE!  



	6. Coming of the Angel

C+C at darkangel98s@yahoo.com . Flames can go to hell. Also, check out my website at www.geocities.com/shadow_angel48s, where all my other fan fictions are kept.  
  
Legal Stuff: I don't own any of the copyrighted materials in these little works of fiction that I produce, and am in no way challenging said copyrights. All I have come up with is the story I have stuck them into.   
  
  
  
  
The Crow 1/2: Dragons Rising  
Chapter Six: Coming of the Angel  
  
  
Ryoga was surprised by the condition of the Dojo. It was not exactly run down, but it was a far cry from the way Kasumi had kept it. The gates to the compound themselves had paint peeling, and the sign out front was looking warn. He looked up at the quickly approaching sunset, and decided to knock.  
  
  
He had been elected as their representative here, since the Tendos knew him well as both Ranma and Akane's friend. He was not comfortable doing this, but from what Ranma had said, and what he knew about the Kunos, he had to agree that this was necessary.   
  
  
His rapid knock echoed through out the silent streets, and they waited. Akari moved up beside him, and wrapped an arm around his waist. He smiled down at her, and kissed her forehead gently. Konatsu, still dressed in guys cloths, was standing to the side of the gate, watching. He smiled sadly at the couple, and wished he had someone like that for himself.  
  
  
It did not take long before someone came to answer the door, and as the gate opened, and Kasumi looked out, Ryoga suddenly felt such guilt for not coming over more often, to help them out.   
  
  
Kasumi was looking haggard. Bags under her eyes, her dress not half as neat and clean as it would have been, and her hair was looking a bit on the unkempt side. She looked out at the three of them, not recognizing anyone. She looked afraid.  
  
  
Konatsu and Akari were understandable, since she had never met his fiancée, and Konatsu was dressed as a man now. Had he changed that much in a year? He was dressed in fairly new cloths, a pair of loose running pants, a white t-shirt, and running shoes, none of which had ever seen the travel he used do. He even wore his hair shorter, since Akari liked it that way. Only his ever present Bandanna was the same, and he wore that around his neck now days. He decided introductions were in order.  
  
  
"It's me Ryoga, Kasumi. We decided to stop by and see how you and your family were."  
  
  
She studied him again, staring into his eyes now, and gasp faintly. "Oh my…" It was completely unexpected when pushed the gate wide, and grabbed him in a hug so fierce he didn't even thing HE could break it. "Oh Ryoga! Thank goodness you're here!"  
  
  
  
******************************************************  
  
  
  
Ranma was not feeling well. It was not anything physical, that he WAS sure of. It had something to do with all the memories he had been receiving and sharing. They were racing throughout his mind, each as powerful and vivid as if they had just happened. All the emotions, all those events, tearing him apart.  
  
  
He staggered into an alley, almost two blocks away from the Neko Hanten still, and collapsed to his knees, stomach retching, but he had not eaten in over a day, and their was nothing to come up. He just knelt there, on his hands and knees, wishing he could die.   
  
  
When it was finally passed, he rolled onto his back, gasping for air, and tried to focus his mind, but he could not find his center. Too much was running throughout his head. He could remember his death, feel the cutting of the skin across his cheek, the violation in the most painful and demeaning way, the guilt at failing Ranma and Akane, Loving Ranma with all of his heart.   
  
  
"NO! Those aren't mine. I AM Ranma Saotome! Those things happened to other people. Not to me. No to me!"  
  
  
He was helpless for the moment, lying there, waves of depression and sadness leaving him a worthless wreck. The sun finished it's decent, and the alley he was in was lit only by a faint street light. And through that gloom, he heard the beat of wings on the cold evening air…  
  
  
  
*****************************************************  
  
  
  
Ryoga was busy fixing up some of the loose wall and floor boards inside the dojo. He had picked up quite a few repair tricks while on Akari's farm, and had been glad to help out around the Tendos.   
  
  
The fact that they were helping out around the home was an amazing occurrence. It was mainly Akari's doing. As soon as she had seen that they had needed help, she had immediately began offering help. Kasumi had tried to refuse, sighting the fact that they were guests, and it had become a match between the irresistible force, and the immovable object. He had been betting on Akari the whole time though. When she turned on the sweetness, no one could resist.  
  
  
So they had All set out to start helping around the old place. Konatsu had the main house, and was working up a storm. He cleaned with a skill that impressed even Kasumi. He had taken the dojo, since he preferred to be working out here, so close to a place where martial artists trained. That, and to avoid her.   
  
  
He set the hammer down for a moment and rolled into a sitting position. The floor board would have to wait. Wiping his forehead with one hand, he picked up the cup of sake Mr. Tendo had given him. He was not much of a drinker, but tonight, he figured he could get away with a little. He sipped it, and relaxed. The last two days had topped every other bit of weirdness he and the rest had ever experienced.   
  
  
Ranma's return had been unexpected, but since he had touched his mind, he found that there was certainly a good reason for it. For Ryoga, it had laid the last of his demons to rest. Or at least most of them. He felt more at peace than he had in his entire life, more focused, more centered. He knew his life with Akari was his destiny, and he was happy with that. But there was still that one ghost, that one thing that was not quite laid to rest. It had kept him away from here for so long.  
  
  
He finished his drink, and set the dish down, and an amusing thought came to him. He wondered if Soun had finally stopped crying for joy at their arrival yet. The three of them had been gone for almost and hour, Akari having taken them shopping for things that they could no longer afford. Like decent food. Their current financial state took away a lot of his humor. His fist punched the floor softly, and still the boards creaked.   
  
  
"I should have come around more often…"  
  
  
"Yes… You should have."  
  
  
He wheeled, rising to his feet in a blink. He was ready for the trouble Ranma had warned them would come. But instead of some minion of the Kuno's, or one of the Amazon women, he found the one person he had been hesitant to see.   
  
  
Akane had changed more than he would have believed, in ways he would have given anything to have changed. She was thin, and her body no longer had the tone or grace of the martial artist. Her hair was swept back in a simple ponytail which was set high on the back of her head. The mass of scars that even modern medicine had not managed to remove changed half her face into a pale white mask of lines. It was her eyes that hurt him the most though. They were dark, still as beautiful as he remembered them, but they no longer held the life they once had. The watched him like the eyes of a dead person might.   
  
  
She moved her crutches forward, taking slow, and shifted her weight , swinging her legs forward. She came to him slowly, silently, and he saw why he had not heard her approach. She had gotten very good at moving silently on them.  
  
  
She got close, and eyed him carefully, as if expecting him to fly away at any moment. Ryoga got kind of embarrassed, and rubbed the back of his head.   
  
  
"Kasumi told us you were asleep."  
  
  
"I was." She continued to stare at him, slowly reaching a hand out, and touched his chest. Her hand recoiled from the touch, as if surprised. Her next movement surprised him, and suddenly she was hugging him close, fiercely, as if to never let him go. "Your real! I-I-I thought it was a dream. I thought you never wanted to see me again. I was so alone…" Her tears wet his shirt in an ever increasing downpour.  
  
  
He hesitated only briefly, then wrapped his arms around her, soothing her, rubbing a hand through her hair. He let her get it all out, all the loneliness. He could think of only one thing to say.  
  
  
"I am so sorry Akane. So very sorry…" He hoped it was enough.  
  
  
  
*****************************************************  
  
  
  
Konatsu had seen Akane come down the stairs, one carefully after the other, and had watched silently as she went outside. He knew Ryoga had a past with her, and decided to leave the two of them to it. He went back to working on the living room, scrubbing the floors with great detail.   
  
  
He almost missed the light knocking at the Tendo's gate, so intent on the floor, so intent on blocking out thoughts of Ukyou. It was the second knock, louder than the first that brought him around. He got up, tossing the scrub brush into the bucket he had been using, and started to go answer the door. He remembered the Tendo's reaction to company though. No one came here anymore. Who ever here was certainly not expected.  
  
  
Remembering Ranma's warning, he get his short ninja-to from the things they had brought, and unwrapped the hilt. He had never taken a life before, and had no intention of starting now, but if he had to defend himself, he would. He hurried to the door, as the third knock came.   
  
  
He gave himself a moment to focus his thoughts, letting his ninja training take over. Calm now, focused and at the ready. he opened the gate just a tad, during the persons third knock, and peaked out.   
  
  
Ukyou Kuonji stood outside, dressed as he had not seen her in almost a year. She locked eyes with him, and smiled warmly.  
  
  
"Ukyou!" He swung the gate open fully, to let her inside, as was completely overwhelmed by her rushing him, wrapping her arms around his neck, and kissing him with a passion he had never dreamed of. He lost track of time, unsure of how long they stayed that way. When they finally broke the kiss, both were breathless.   
  
  
She looked into his eyes, which burned with a need, for him, he was surprised to see.   
  
  
"I love you Konatsu Kenzan. I am sorry it took so long to say, but I am saying it now. I only hope you feel the same way still…  
  
  
His answer was to kiss her again. They stood there, lips pressed together, in each others arms, beneath the rising moon, and he felt things were suddenly right with the world.  
  
  
  
*****************************************************  
  
  
  
The bird was watching him, staring with an intensity that cut through even his current emotional state. They had locked eyes what seemed like forever ago, and neither had moved. Slowly, through this focus, he began to regain his control, reign in the sadness. As he began to feel better, the bird cawed once, a sharp bark that startled him, and he jerked away from it, and into a crouch. Satisfied, it took flight, into the darkness it flew, back on track with it's mission.  
  
  
He sat there, and stared at the walls of the alley he had stumbled into. He was still learning his powers, learning what he could do, but he did not like what this one was doing to him. It was good that it had helped his friends, had taken their sorrow and regrets away from them, but somehow he was holding on to them, like the skills he was taking from some of them. He was not the smartest man in the world, but even he knew his mind was not meant to deal with things like that.  
  
  
Still pondering this, the connection to the crow came, and he was seeing as it saw, seeing what it saw…  
  
  
  
******************************************************  
  
  
  
The Neko Hanten was busy, shampoo handled all the waiting of tables with the ease of some one with long practice. Even this late into the evening, her Amazon goddess-like good looks could draw the crowds in. She was smiling and taking orders as if she had not a care in the world.  
  
  
The view turned, and there was Cologne behind the grill with Shampoo's father. Both churned out food at a rapid pace, yet their combined skill was barely keeping up with the demand and Shampoo's speed.   
  
  
Cologne froze for a moment, and raised her eyes to look out the window. She was staring directly at the crow, and her brows were furrowed in deep concentration. The bird took flight, having no wish for a confrontation, and soared up into the sky, breaking their shared view.  
  
  
  
******************************************************  
  
  
  
He rage flared with a strength it had never before, not even against Mousse. It burned white hot and flared up, threatening to consume him whole. He was beyond thought now, beyond reason. The angers of Akane Tendo and Ryoga Hibiki burned along side his own, and he knew only on thing. Justice must be done.  
  
  
He moved with a slow, deliberate pace, striding from the alley, and startling a passer by. His aura flared, and cast a red light around him, strong enough for even the untrained to see it. People cleared out of his path, fear lighting their eyes.  
  
  
The restaurants doors were before him before he knew it, and he only saw a hindrance to his goal, a barrier. He lashed out with a kick driven by strength driven beyond the supernatural, and the doors blew off their hinges, spraying bit all over those nearest the door.   
  
  
His aura flared again, brighter than before, and he jabbed a finger out, selecting his target. The young Amazon girl was just turning to face him, an angry look on her face.  
  
  
"What you do, smash in restaurant door. You pay for…" Their eyes locked, and hers went wide in terror. She spoke in a whisper…  
  
  
"Ranma…?"  
  
  
"Time for you to face your crimes, Shampoo. You and the Old Ghoul."  
  
  
He was moving before she could blink, the power of the afterworld giving him speed beyond anything she could hope to match. He was just within striking distance when the blows fell. He counted a dozen lethal strikes, all delivered with a precision and force that assured death for their target. He went flying into a far wall, knocking aside patrons in his flight. He struck the wall with enough force to collapse part of it.  
  
  
  
******************************************************  
  
  
  
Cologne had been in the back of the restaurant when the Ki she had felt days ago flared again, so close it made her drop the food she had been fetching from the cooler. It's strength overwhelmed her, drove her to panic, if just for a moment. She stood there helpless as she felt it draw closer.  
  
  
*"…you will face justice…" Happi's words struck home suddenly, and she was springing into motion just as the doors exploded She did not freeze when she saw who had entered the restaurant, moving towards her great-granddaughter. She simply struck. She blows were aimed to kill, with all her power and focus behind them. Even with his amazing speed, he did not see them coming, and was launched into a nearby wall. Landing, she was not concerned any longer. Nothing could have survived an attack like that. Not from her.   
  
  
"Great-Grandmother! That Ranma? How he alive?" She was still in shock, afraid of what was happening, and unsure of the fight that had just occurred. Even with all her skill, Shampoo was not capable of having followed something of that speed.  
  
  
"It was not. It was simply some kind of spirit. It was using Ranma's form to try and trick us. I have… taken care of it."  
  
  
She was completely unprepared for the Ranma to rise again, shaking the dust from his body, and growling.  
  
  
"You guys haven't taken care of anything, Old Ghoul. This is far from over."  
  
  
Cologne rounded on him, her staff before her, body relaxed, face calm. Far from how she felt inside. He was still alive after that attack. No, wait. Ranma was still alive after the events of a year before. He was here now, standing before her stronger that she had ever seen him, and unharmed by blows that would have killed just about anything. What on earth was going on?  
  
  
"Ah. Son-in-Law. How good of you to have come back to us. We have missed you. Care for something to eat?"  
  
  
He growled again, and slammed a fist against the nearest table. IT splintered under the blow. She wondered why he had not already attacked, seeing how mad he was. The few patrons left were scurrying out in of their way, and she smiled inwardly. He was buying them time to get away. A weakness to use, should she have to.  
  
  
"I don't want food. I want to pay you back for all you have done. All you have caused."  
  
  
"You are not a killer. We both know that."  
  
  
He smiled then, a thin, tight line that made her realize this was not the same youth she had seen die. He was a whole lot harder. Yet could even death have turned him into a killer?  
  
  
"I guess you don't watch the news much. Bunch of guys dead on the docks, huge explosion. Sound familiar?"  
  
  
She heard Shampoo gasp. They had both watched the news. The horrific explosion, men literally beaten to death with a savageness that shocked even her. If what Ranma said was true, then all bets were off. She could not expect anything to be the same with him.  
  
  
"Listen Ranma. You don't want to do this. I don't want to have to hurt you."  
  
  
He laughed at that, with an arrogance that was most disturbing, considering what she now knew, and what she had seen with her own eyes. She readied her staff, just in time, for he moved. Her staff blurred, spinning in a defensive whirl, and was satisfied when she deflected flesh, heard bone snap as she knocked his punches away. In a blink he was past her, and she was turning, staff still at the ready.   
  
  
He turned back, a sick smile on his face, both of his arms held before him, the broken bones obvious as they swayed at awkward angles.   
  
  
"You don't have the power to hurt me, old woman. You once did, but no longer. Now I have the power. Power to make you pay." His arms snapped downward suddenly, and the snapping of bone could be heard again, and his arms were whole, back to normal. His face had never changed as the bones popped back into place, despite the terrible pain she was sure he had to feel. She did not have long to think on the matter though, as he came at her again…  
  
  
  
****************************************************  
  
  
  
Shampoo could not follow them as they fought. They were like tricks of the light, one moment here, the next over there. Great-Grandmother had always been this fast, but rarely used it. She had no need to. No one could match her. But now, Ranma was just as fast, if not faster, and he seemed to feel no pain, seemed unstoppable. She began to worry for her life, as well as Cologne's.  
  
  
She had to help. But something was holding her back. It was a feeling that warred with her sense of self preservation. It told her she deserved what was coming, they both of them had brought his wrath down upon themselves. How could she fight back against something her honor demanded was just? How…?  
  
  
She made her decision, and grabbed a nearby glass of water. She splashed herself, and felt the tingling, slightly painful twist of her transformation. She crawled out of the dress she had been wearing, and leapt into the air, fully intent on her target. She could scare Ranma away, using his fear of cats. It had always hurt her, how afraid of her he had been in this form, but now she was dependant on it.  
  
  
She was not quite sure of what happened next, for she was grabbed in mid-air so fast that her world spun. The grip was not kind, too hard by far, and all she could do was dangle from his grip on the back of her neck.  
  
  
  
*****************************************************  
  
  
  
The fight had stopped. Ranma and Cologne found themselves both staring incredulously at the cat dangling from Ranma's grip  
  
  
"I'm holding a cat…"  
  
  
"Yes you are." Cologne's eyes were as wide as his. The Neko Ken was the last thing she needed in this fight. He was not nearly as skilled as he had been, but he was matching her thanks to his sheer speed and endurance. With the added power of that technique she would die most certainly.  
  
  
He looked at her.   
  
  
IS it just me, or have you noticed I am not running in terror?" He seemed surprised. She did to, in fact. His only real fear had been of cats. Yet here he was, holding one, and he seemed to be just fine. What kind of changes HAD he been through.  
  
  
"What has happened to you, Son-in-Law? How have you gotten this strong? How did you conquer your fears?"  
  
  
His laugh was so sudden and loud that she took a step back, feeling fear for the first time in two centuries. It had a manic overtone to it, and a darker underlining. It was a sound she was sure belonged to a mad man.  
  
  
He finished as abruptly as he had started. His eyes meeting hers, and they gleamed with a dark, malevolent light "What has happened to me? WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME!?! I died you old bitch. Because of you and your Chinese cronies, because those damned Kunos. I have seen the afterlife, I have seen hell! And I am going to show it to you. Show you just how we felt, as you destroyed our lives."  
  
  
He was so wrapped up in his speech, that he seemed to not sense Shampoos father. The man was far from a skilled warrior, but he was a member of the Amazons, even if a male, and had a fierce pride. He had gotten one of Shampoo's swords from somewhere, and had slipped up behind Ranma. He was intent on saving his daughter. The blade came down silently, whistling from the side, intent on severing Ranma's head. The caw of a bird came from outside, loud and harsh, and Ranma moved. From up the sleeve of the oversized jacket came a short sword of his own, and he held it over his shoulder, catching the attack in mid-stroke. He pivoted it over, and slid the blade away from himself, and reversed the grip, stabbing backwards, under his arm. Shampoo's father collapsed as the steel was pulled from where it had entered his stomach. Blood began to pool around his moaning form on the floor.  
  
  
He never took his eyes off Cologne. The sword came up, and Shampoo, who had been struggling after seeing her fathers attack, froze as it touched her neck.   
  
  
"I think this is enough for tonight. I have Shampoo, and I can come back for you. I know you won't run off with her in my possession." He started to back away, and from the darkness outside the restaurant, something swooped. Cologne watched silently as a huge crow landed on Ranma's shoulder. It watched her with unreadable eyes, and she frowned at it. Something about it was tickling the back of her mind. These events were like something from her past. Something she knew she should remember. But she had no time to think about that. She had to get Shampoo away from him.   
  
  
He continued his watchful exit of the restaurant, until he reached the door. He slid the sword back up his sleeve, using a hidden weapons technique, and smiled at her.   
  
  
"I know you will try and follow. Just to keep you busy how ever…" He leveled his hand, and his Ki surged forth. "Moko Takabisha!" His ki blast shot forth, and tore into the kitchen, and she glanced at its path for only a brief second, but when she looked back, he was gone.  
  
  
Her danger sense flared, and for a moment, she wondered why. It was then that she remembered the gas in the kitchen. The stoves. She could already smell the waves of fumes rising up. She acted without thought, scooping up Shampoo's father, and in two great leaps was out side and into the night. The explosion tore the Neko Hanten apart, and threw her into the street, her burden rolling away, some feet off.  
  
  
She lay there for some time. She was exhausted. IT had taken a lot of energy to fight Ranma like that, and the blast certainly had not helped her condition out any. Added to her sleeplessness, it was hard to think, but she needed to. She had to remember where she had seen all of this before, and to find a way to save her great-granddaughter…  
  
  
  
**************************************************  
  
  
  
They had been sitting on the dojo floor for what had to be an hour, talking non-stop. He, about his life now, with Akari, and of the farm where they lived, raising her sumo pigs. Akane told of all the help she had been getting, of all the time she had to think. She told him of her writing, and how someone was actually interested in some of her stuff. But mostly she talked of how good it was to see her friend again.   
  
  
Ryoga was glad to see she had done so well. It was a lot to have recovered from. Too much for most. Yet she had, by strength of will alone, managed to fight back, and reclaim some of her life back. But he could sense the weakness in her, the emptiness of having struggled so long alone. He cursed himself silently again.  
  
  
It was during one of their quiet moments, that Ryoga as the question that had been bugging him since she had walked in.  
  
  
"I was just wondering when you started to use those." He pointed to the crutches lying next to her. "Last I saw, you were in a … uh…"  
  
  
"A wheel chair?" She smiled at him. "You can say that, you know. It doesn't bother me." She patted the crutch closest. "The doctors managed to repair a lot of the damage Shampoo did. Not all of it, but a lot. That damned chair was driving me up the wall. The doctors said I argued myself up out of it. In a way I did. I would get so mad at not being able to walk, and would yell at myself a lot. Everyday I would get up and try and walk, push myself a lot more than I should have. But in the end it paid off. I can walk now… Sort of. Though I will always need these things. In six months, it hasn't improved further."  
  
  
"My turn for a question now. Why are you all here, now of all times?"  
  
  
He knew what she meant. It had been almost exactly a year since those horrid events. A year since they had last seen each other as well. HE went into the story they had prepared.  
  
  
"We heard through one of Konatsu's old ninja contacts that the Kuno's were planning something. And with the date and all, we figured it was too much of a coincidence. So we came." He looked down at his feet, feeling ashamed of his lie. It still had to be done, but he did not like it. "I should have come sooner… Come to see you more."  
  
  
She hugged his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. You had your life to get on with. With Akari. Plus I don't blame you for not coming around more, wanting to see a cripple like me, huh p-chan?"  
  
  
"Hey! Your not a…" He froze, and his eyes went wide, face going pale. "Did you just say p-chan?"  
  
  
"Yea Ryoga. I did. You didn't expect me to be in the dark forever, did you? Plus I had a LOT of time to think about it. How Ranma never wanted you in my bed at night. How you were never around when P-chan was." She reached up and tugged his bandanna and smiled smugly. "I am a little ashamed that I didn't see it before."  
  
  
"I-I-I-I-I-I can explain!"  
  
  
"Don't worry about it. I got over that a long time ago. Anyway, aside from seeing me naked a few times, you never took advantage of me. Never once." She hugged him again. "Anyway, I can't let go of my best friend because he turns into a pig, can I?"   
  
  
He was smiling, and enjoying her company in a way he never had. Being just friends with Akane was a very good thing indeed. Suddenly a thought came to him.   
  
  
"Uh… Akane? Can we never mention the whole sleeping in your bed thing to Akari? She might not take the too well…  
  
  
  
**************************************************  
  
  
  
Konatsu and Ukyou had been getting into some very heavy making out when the others arrived home. As the door to the house opened, they scrambled apart, her trying to get her shirt back on before anyone saw, and cursing because she had no idea where her bra had gone.  
  
  
They were semi presentable when Soun and Akari entered the living room, both of their arms filled with grocery bags. They could here Kasumi slipping off her shoes by the door and picking back up bags of her own.  
  
  
Akari saw them first. "Hey guys! Glad to se you got here finally Ukyou." She passed over one of the bags, and began to walk towards the kitchen. "You got here just in time to help put away the groceries." Ukyou nodded and followed after, and wondered what Akari bent over and fished out from behind the potted plant before heading into the kitchen.  
  
  
  
***************************************************  
  
  
  
Soun watched as Ukyou disappeared into the kitchen, an unsure look on his face. Konatsu slid over to him, and took the bags of groceries.  
  
  
"Is there something the matter, Mr. Tendo?"  
  
  
"I don't trust that girl…"  
  
  
He started to say something in her defense, when it occurred to him that he did not really have a reason to. She HAD been one of the fiancées that had kept his daughter and Ranma apart. He picked the best thing to say carefully.  
  
  
"She has changed, sir. For the better. I can assure you she had nothing to do with what happened." He smiled. "We are kind of a couple."  
  
  
Soun nodded, and congratulated him, but that distrusting look never left his face. As Kasumi came in, Konatsu also managed to snag her bags as well, and lumbered into the kitchen, insisting that they relax, and allow them to take care of them. Kasumi started to protest, but he reminded her that the guest was always right. She nodded weakly, and took a seat, and her father took one next to her.  
  
  
"He is such a nice and polite boy."  
  
  
Soun nodded, and took on the air of the all knowing father figure, as he had so long ago. "He and Ukyou are a couple now days."  
  
  
She smiled and nodded. "Good for them. She needed someone like him…  
  
  
  
****************************************************  
  
  
  
Akari and Ukyou were putting things away, when Konatsu came into the kitchen. He was silent, listening to the two women's conversations.  
  
  
"… bills for all that therapy wiped them out completely. Nabiki had to take a job up in Hokkaido just to support them."  
  
  
"It's so sad. I hate when stuff like this happens…"  
  
  
They both noticed his as one, when he slid in-between the two of them, and set his collection of bags down. He smiled at Ukyou, who blushed.  
  
  
Akari smiled herself, and laid out what she had seen behind the plant. It landed atop his bags, and both of them blinked before going beet red. Ukyou snatched up her bra, and began shoving it into her pocket.   
  
  
"I guess you two are getting along better now, huh?"  
  
  
  
*****************************************************  
  
  
  
Ranma had stopped on his late night run through the dark streets in order to dig through a dumpster. He found an old cardboard box, and stuffed Shampoo inside, wrapping a chain from up his sleeve around it to keep it shut.  
  
  
He was walking past the school now, and caught site of the time. 10:06. Not too late. He had gotten a lot done tonight. He was wondering if he should go and take care of the Kuno's or deal with Shampoo first, when the chains hit him.  
  
  
A half dozen of heavy weighted balls slammed into him, and he felt ribs shatter. He was tossed back, and dropped the box, in his flight. He rolled as he hit, feeling his body already putting him back together, and rose to a wavering crouch. The chains retracted, and from the shadows stepped Mousse. They young Chinese boy was looking the worse for wear, after the beating he had taken. Ranma wondered how he had the courage to try again.   
  
  
"Mousse…"  
  
  
"I am really tired of you, Saotome. Even when you are dead, you make my life a living hell."  
  
  
"Walk away Mousse. We don't have to do this yet. Not for a while yet. Heal up, and get strong. Come back. Give yourself a chance."  
  
  
"I have all I need right here, Saotome. All the chances I need." He moved his hand, and a rifle was in his hands, having appeared as if from nowhere. He sighted in Ranma, and fired. The heavy thunder tore through the night, and lead death poured forth, dead on target.  
  
  
  
******************************************************  
  
  
  
Ukyou, Akari, and Konatsu were skilled in their crafts, and soon the whole house was filled with smells that outclassed even the finest restaurants. They three worked well together, and in less time than even Kasumi believed, they had steaming hot food out on the table, all set up for a late supper. Soun was thanking the both of them profusely, and Kasumi was asking question about their cooking techniques.   
  
  
It was with some surprise that they heard the outside door slide open, and Ryoga and Akane enter. Both were smiling, and Akane's laughter was like a bright light, illuminating the remaining Tendos, and filling the house with a life that it had been lacking for a long time.  
  
  
Soun and Kasumi just stared, dumbfounded. Neither had seen Akane happy like this in a very long time. Soun started the water works, and Kasumi smiled. It was just like old times again.  
  
  
  
*****************************************************  
  
  
  
Hot lead tore through Ranma, and he staggered from the rapid fire impacts of over a half dozen rounds. But he was not worried. If Cologne could not hurt him, than this toy had no chance. His body healed each injury as it happened.   
  
  
It was an accident what happened next, as a round shot clean through him, and flew on to hit the crow. The bird had taken flight, and was trying to get clear of the fight when the bullet took it's wing. It was far from mortal, but enough to drop it from the sky, to slam into the cold concrete below.   
  
  
Ranma screamed, a sound of pure pain, and collapsed. He could feel the pain from the birds injury, and felt the loss of something. He was not aware of what, but he knew it was bad. He lie there, in the cold streets, and did not move.   
  
  
Mousse smiled. He walked over slowly, enjoying the moment he had been long denied. "Finally. I thought I would never get to see you die by my hand. Now, I am finally happy. " He stood over Ranma's prone form. "The Kuno's won't be happy, but I guess they will just have to make do with Young Miss Tendo." He checked his watch. "Sansuke should have gotten her by not…"  
  
  
It was in that moment of distraction that Ranma struck. He lashed out with all of his supernatural strength, and kicked Mousse in the stomach. He used the movement to right himself, and once again on his feet, he leapt into the air with a brutal spin kick that launched the injured man into the schools outer wall with tremendous force, shattering stone. Mousse slumped to the ground, unmoving.   
  
  
He was running, unconcerned about the bird, but scooping up the box with Shampoo. He was not going to let her escape, not this time. He felt concern for his companion from the grave, but from what he could tell, it was not dying. It sent him only an urge for him to hurry on, to protect Akane. Somehow he knew that the bird would take care of itself.  
  
  
He was long gone when the shadowy figure came out from hiding. It's small form had been following the young Saotome, and had witnessed the entire fight. As it approached the bird, it gave disapproving squawk, but was not capable of doing anything but being scooped up. The newcomer cast a wary glance at young Mousse, and thought about ending his life then and there, but decided that there was no reason to waste the time. He would get his, in the end. Yes indeed he would.  
  
  
  
*******************************************************  
  
  
  
They had been reminiscing as they ate, laughing and talking in a manor so unlike the way that had during the day. So much was happening so fast, and all of it for the good, from what Konatsu could see. He slid just a little bit closer to Ukyou, and she smiled at him. All was right with the world, from what he could see.  
  
  
So wrapped up in his happiness, he almost missed the gleaming steel shuriken as it flew out of the night. He had no time to push Ukyou out of the way, only had time to shoot his hand up and catch the deadly instrument in his bare hand. He gasp faintly, as steel cut flesh.  
  
  
Ukyou was surprised by his sudden movement, as was everyone else. They stared as if hypnotized by the trickle of blood that began to flow from his clenched fist. He had to scream to rouse them. "Attack!"  
  
  
Ryoga and Ukyou moved as one, she grabbing her battle spatula, and he kicking the sliding door that looked out upon the Koi pone closed. They all heard the breaking of glass upstairs as any number of assailants entered. Konatsu moved, and grabbed up his ninja-to, sliding the blade free, and listening.  
  
  
"Oh great. This is bad. We need to protect the Tendo's and Akari." Ryoga had made it to his own pack, and scooped up his returned umbrella.   
  
  
"I wonder how many of them are there."  
  
  
Konatsu shook his head sadly. "A lot. At least a dozen upstairs. From what I can tell at least."  
  
  
The others cast curious glances at him, but ask no questions. His ninja training was more than combat, and he knew how to use his senses, and how to listen for other ninja.   
  
  
It was no surprise to him, when the first gas bomb bounced into the room, and began to fill it with its noxious fumes. He called out. "Sleep gas. Get out!"  
  
  
Ryoga nodded. "Ukyou and I are gonna cover you. Konatsu, lead the way to the dojo. Mr. Tendo, protect the girls!" Even as he was calling his orders out, he flung the door open, and opened the umbrella, using it as a shield, and rushed out. Ukyou was right behind him, with only a worried glance behind her.  
  
  
He followed, rushing into the night, and was immediately assaulted by a pair of men. From that point on, things got confusing, and he lost track of what was going on.   
  
  
In what seemed like an eternity, the four warriors battled across the compound, pressing through the ranks of ninja, yet never really managing to take any down for good. Their rapid hit and run tactics were too effective, leaving them reeling from one attack, and barely ready for the next. Konatsu knew without a doubt that they were going to loose.   
  
  
He heard the scream, and cast a look back, and saw the one ninja he recognized, the Kuno's servant Sansuke. He had slipped behind Soun while the man had been pressed, and had grabbed Akane, leaping away, onto the rocks near the pond. He was laughing.  
  
  
"This was FAR to easy. I can not believe you were worrying my masters." He grinned, and motioned the ninja's to continue their assault, as he prepared to make his escape. It was then that Konatsu saw the shadow rising into the air above the outer wall, and heard the cry of anger and rage that he recognized.  
  
  
"AKANE!!!"  
  
  
  
  
End of Chapter Six  
  
  
  
  
Authors notes: Jeeze. This is the longest one by far. I hope you all enjoy it. Anyway, not a lot to say here this time, except to tell you to find and read my El-Hazard story, and my Ranma story What a Day. Remember, the more responses I get, the more I write. Plus I need opinions on the fan fiction that I actually put some thought and planning into.  
  
Oh yea, I need beta readers for my really big series that I am working on. Turning Points. Again, to see if you want to help on it, go read my El-hazard story, found in what ever el-hazard anime section is around where you found this one.  
  
Anyway, I will see you later, when I put the next one of these out. And look for my one shot, Lonely Soldier Boy, when it comes out soon. You might like it. Peace!!!  
Dark Angel 98s  



	7. Dancing in Moonlight with Her Heart and

The Crow ½ : Dragons Rising Written by Dark Angel 98s  
  
Disclaimer: Please note, I don't own any of these characters or world concepts. I just own the story they are in. Comments and Critisms can got to darkangel98s@hotmail.com or posted where you found this story. Flames can go to that very bad place I save for non-constructive critics. New Jersey. If you wonder why this took so long to do, then check out the Afterward. It's at the end. Duh.  
  
  
  
The Crow ½: Dragons Rising Chapter Seven: Dancing in Moonlight with Her Heart and Soul.  
  
Sansuke smiled. Even with Ryoga, Ukyou, and that cross dressing ninja fool, capturing Akane had been far to easy. A throwing knife twirled into his hand and pressed into the crippled girls throat. His throaty whisper sent shivers down her spine. "Struggle and you die."  
  
He was ready to order his men to finish the others as he made his escape, when he saw the shadow rising across the moons reflection in the pond beside him, and a rage filled name was screamed out so that it echoed across the night.  
  
"AKANE!!!"  
  
He barely got out of the way in time of the brutal jump kick that the descending Ranma launched, and watched in horror as the young mans attack shattered the stone he had been standing on. He pressed the knife to the young girls throat harder. "Move and she dies, Ranma! I mean it!"  
  
In the pale, silver light of the moon, the kneeling boy slowly lifted his head. His face slowly turned upwards, it's ghostly white pallor made more eerie, black makeup streaks like tears trailing down his cheeks, those blue eyes glowing with something inhuman, demonic. He didn't even have a chance to make another threat.  
  
  
  
*****************************************************  
  
  
  
Ryoga was relieved when Ranma arrived. Now the odds were way more in their favor. The unkillable Ranma could mow through these ninja's with no problem. He almost cheered, when Ranma moved from the crouch he had landed in.  
  
Only all of his years of training and all of his constant battles with Ranma and others capable of inhuman speed allowed him to follow what happened as Ranma attacked. The knife that Sansuke held to Akane's throat was suddenly gone, along with part of the evil ninja's arm. Ranma simply ripped it away. Then the little Sansuke was punched so hard, Ryoga heard the bones in his shoulder splinter like dry kindling, even from where he and the others were standing. And all of this in the split second of one heartbeat.  
  
Their foes changed targets, descending on Ranma in a tide of black uniforms and gleaming steel. Soun started to move forward to help, but Konatsu's hand stopped him.  
  
"What are you doing?!? My Daughter."  
  
"Is safe, Mr. Tendo. Ranma will protect her."  
  
"Ranma? But he is." Soun's gaze drifted back to the black clad warrior at the center of the descending ninja horde. "But how."  
  
"Oh my god." Ukyou's voice conveyed all the horror of what was occurring beside the pond. The ninja's had reached Ranma, and Ranma was a bloody whirlwind in their center.  
  
  
  
*****************************************************  
  
  
  
They came on him like a wave, and crashed against the jagged rocks of his rage. He spun a circuit around Akane, a broad sword sliding from the sleeve of the coat he had stolen from Mouse, and even as it extended, it spilled ones insides out. His leg kicked out, splintering the knee of another, followed by the throwing knife taken from Sansuke nearly splitting that ones skull in half. He leapt up, flipping over Akane, intercepting a sword stroke meant for her with a brutal kick that snapped the ninja's blade in half, while throwing his own sword through the throat of a foe who had tried to strike where he had just been. Still in mid-air his palm extended and his aura flared crimson, crows wings flaring out around him, and a blast of scarlet energy tore through several of those approaching.  
  
He rolled, latching onto the one who was only just figuring out that his sword was no longer whole, and kicked off of him, using him to gain height, and he used the Hidden weapons skills stolen from Mouse's mind to fire of countless projectiles, a rain of blunt and edged destruction fell down upon them, Akane safely at the center of it all.  
  
Ranma was finally a target for them now though, for in mid-air, all of his unnatural speed could not make him so difficult to follow. Their retaliatory strike came in the form of dozens of razor edged steel shuriken, filling the sky with faint twinkles like a night suddenly full of fireflies. Ranma twisted in mid-air, spinning suddenly, like a top, and he suddenly blurred hands snagging weapons from the air itself, and he roared, those crimson crow wings forming from his aura, wrapped around his body, before snapping out, and like feathers shed, the ninja's own weapons fell back upon them.  
  
  
  
***********************************************************  
  
  
  
Ryoga snapped his umbrella open, and spun it with all the speed and force he could muster. The ninja's thrown shuriken came back with such force that wood around them shattered as they struck all around the dojo's doorframe. Everyone was behind Ryoga now, trusting in him to keep them safe. He prayed he could.  
  
They struck with the force of gunshots, a dozen in the span of a second, and the reinforced umbrella shuddered in his hand, before the deadly darts were redirected, smashing through the floor, walls and ceiling. He peeked over the top of the umbrella, and sighed faintly in relief. Whatever risk Ranma was running to them, he was still keeping Akane safe. She was surrounded in a ring of dead ninja's and weapons, none having come close to hitting her.  
  
He snapped the umbrella closed, and lowered it to his side. It was too risky for all of them here. One of Ranma's attacks was very likely to kill one of them as easily as it was killing the Kuno's goons.  
  
"Konatsu, get them out of here. It's to dangerous." HE took a half step towards the door.  
  
Konatsu looked startled for a moment, never having been put in charge like this before, but nodded his assent. He was just in time to stop Akari from running past him, and latching onto Ryoga, and try with all of her might to hold him back.  
  
"RYOGA!!! Come with us please. It's too dangerous, even for you. Please don't leave me.." Her voice dropped to a weak, whimpering whisper. "I'm not strong enough to loose you."  
  
He had her in his arms before she had even finished, holding her close, kissing her with all of the love and affection he could muster. His fingers found, and pressed pressure points with a gentleness one would not believe of someone of his strength. She collapsed into his arms, asleep.  
  
He slid her into Soun's arms. "Take care of her, sir. Please.?"  
  
"Like she was my own, Lad."  
  
Ryoga nodded and kissed her one last time. "I'll be with you shortly dear. I promise." He turned, and without a second glance, walked outside as the others ran out the back. The scene outside was a grisly war zone, and at it's center was Ranma and Akane, standing, facing one another, looking into each others eyes. It was almost to surreal for him. He didn't even notice the ninja until he was in mid-air and sword was striking out, driving strait through Ranma's shoulder. Ranma and Akane both looked down at the foot of steel sticking out from him, before Ranma collapsed, falling in a boneless heap.  
  
Their cry was simultaneous, one filled with the fear of a second loss, and the other in disbelief and anger. "RANMA!"  
  
  
  
******************************************************  
  
  
  
Happosai sat cross-legged, pipe in his mouth and he was puffing away, watching through the cloud of foul scented smoke the crow. Ranma's Crow. His watch keeper as well as a link to the land of the living. And the damned thing had almost died.  
  
The bird looked at him again, and angry recognition filled it's eyes. It cawed once, in anger, and hopped around weakly due to it's wounds, and the huge compress that covered it's body like some kind of strange mummy's wrap.  
  
"Be thankful I AM the one that found you. If Cologne had found you, you would have been in worse shape than this, since she would have recognized your Aura for Ranma's. Wouldn't that have been wonderful?" He nudged it with the end of his pipe. "Of course, in your condition, A dog could make short work of you now. And where would that leave Ranma, Hmmm?"  
  
It Cawed again, but he settled back and ignored it. He did not care if the bird did not like him because of his past with their kind. He just hoped that Ranma could stay out of trouble long enough for this birds gifts and his own talents to heal it. Otherwise, Ranma could end up in a lot worse place than purgatory.  
  
"Damn it all." He blew out an annoyed puff of thick black smoke.  
  
  
  
***************************************************  
  
  
  
Ranma landed with a grace that seemed at odds with his deadly nature, and found himself eye to eye with the woman who held his heart, who had been his reason for living, his sole focus for returning from death itself, and time froze.  
  
Her eyes were as brown and beautiful as ever, murky pools that drug him in and lost him in their depths. Her face, pale skin glowing in the darkness seemed to lend her and fragile quality, almost like a porcelain doll, and all the more beautiful for it. Black hair hung down in an almost perfect frame, a long dark strand hanging down on each side. No one could compare to her at that moment.  
  
Her love, her disbelief, her hope flooded him, and washed away all the anger and hate, and he stood before her as he should have been while he was alive.  
  
"Are you real?" Her voice trembled with doubt, with sorrow at this only being a dream. "Is it really you Ranma. Really you, alive, and not some sick dream?"  
  
"Akane." His hand brushed her cheek softly. "It's really me." His mouth was open to say more, to tell her how much he loved her, and missed her. How much she meant to him. How sorry he was he could not save them both. He never got the chance, as a foot of cold steel burst forth from just above his heart. Both of their gazes drifted down, and he stared at the wound that bleed, and didn't close over like the others. He looked back into her eyes, and felt himself falling as the darkness leapt up and grabbed him.  
  
"Ranma!" Akane cried out as his body fell, and her love seemed to die in front of her eyes again, leaving her to face the murderous Sansuke again. He was leaping at her, hate in his eyes, a knife in his remaining good hand to finish her off. She caught sight of Ryoga out of the corner of her eye, arm rearing back with a half dozen bandannas in it, trying to release and take out the threat before he reached Akane, but she knew he wouldn't make it. Nothing would save her this time. She could finally join Ranma, in peace.  
  
Suddenly there was a blur between the two of them, and the knife stopped a hairs breath from her breast. Ranma was beside her, holding Sansuke's wrists. Blood soaked his cloths, and ran freely along the blade that speared him.  
  
"Akane is mine. I won't fail to protect her again. NEVER AGAIN!!! NOW DIE FOR YOUR SINS!!!" His voice echoed with dark power, and the fist that struck Sansuke had force of a god behind it. Blood sprayed across the ground, and the ninja's headless body fell to the ground. "I won't fail her again. I love her too much." His second collapse, he was not alone as Akane released her crutches and clung to him, and Ryoga dove to catch them both.  
  
  
  
**********************************************************  
  
  
  
Ranma awoke in darkness, his shoulder aflame. He winced and slowly sat up. A small hand slid out of the darkness and pressed onto his good side. Despite it's strength, he could have pushed himself up easily, but he did not. He laid back onto the mat, and looked for who had held him down. He lay perfectly in moonlight, so seeing into the darkness was difficult. Seeing the other person was easier when she leaned into the light and kissed him.  
  
Akane's lips were just as soft and warm as he had imagined in his adolescent fantasies. Her body pressed against him was a warm, soft, peaceful moment that felt like it stretched out forever. When she finally broke it, he almost wept. But she stayed against him, warm and soft, and their bodies seemed to fit together like they were always meant to be together.  
  
Her head rest against his chest, and he looked at her under the full moons glow. She was still just as beautiful as she always was. The scars that cut their white lines across her face did nothing to detract from her beauty. His hand slowly moved to touch her cheek, fingertips tracing along each scar, as if memorizing it.  
  
Her voice was soft and gentle in the silence of the dark bedroom. "Your heartbeat is so strong. So regular. Like it could run on forever. Like it had never stopped." She turned her head slowly, and looked up at him, tears rolling down her cheeks. "You died Ranma, and now you are here. Alive. Why."  
  
"Akane."  
  
"I don't want to hear what you told Ukyou and Ryoga. I want to hear why you had to come back, and look for revenge. Why you had to come back and stir up everything." Her small fist grasp his arm and squeezed. "Why did you have to come back now? Just to kill? Just to destroy?"  
  
His hand came down to brush the hair that had fallen into her eyes away. "I came back for you Akane. To get you justice, to set your life back on the path it was. Not for me, not for petty revenge. To set all the wrong stuff right, for the woman I never got to tell I love."  
  
Both of their eyes were in tears, she wrapped her arms around him, and he rose slightly to kiss her. Their lips were the bridge for their souls to touch, and Ranma's gifts linked their minds, and hearts, and Akane knew all that had and still did make up Ranma Saotome.  
  
"You can't stay can you." She fought back the tears and sorrow that filled her voice.  
  
"Once the Kuno's and Cologne have been shown their mistakes, I'll leave." She started to speak, but he touched her lips with his fingertip. "I would stay if I could, but I can't. They won't let me. I'm dead, after all."  
  
She started to sob, overwhelmed with sorrow, but his hand traced the scars along her face again, and he stole it from her, drinking it in and burying it beneath his own love for her. All of her pain was drawn from her, memories best left behind dulled, and he used all of his powers to bring peace to her for the first time in a year.  
  
As she calmed, her eyes searched him, studying him as intently as he had ever been before. Her own hand reached up and caressed his face, soft and feather like. "I only have this one night with you, don't I?" He nodded. She looked down, biting her lip briefly. "Then be with me Ranma. Please."  
  
"Akane."  
  
"Just this once Ranma. Let's be together as we should have been, if our lives had been normal. Let me remember you live this forever." She trembled against him, even his powers not removing the sting of events so long ago. He rose slightly, and took her face gently between his hands, and kissed her softly. Their timid kiss changed slowly, from afraid to exploring, to desperate and lasted for what seemed like hours.  
  
He rolled her onto her back, and his hands slowly explored her body, atop cloths, brief brushes of skin on skin linking their minds, filling them both with the others love and rising passions. Slowly cloths slithered off, Akane's leg braces, and undergarments, all mounded beside them. Their hands explored each others naked bodies with a rising desperation, their mouths tasting the hot sweaty flesh, tongues racing across bare skin.  
  
"Ranma, Please.."  
  
He entered her gently, and their bodies became one, mind and spirit intertwining, and his energy flowed through her weakened body. As they moved as one, flesh softly sliding against flesh, both of their moans and breathing the only thing in either of their worlds, her body began to change beneath him. Strength she had not had in so long flowed into weakened limbs, skin rippled muscles grew back to what they once had been. Her legs suddenly wrapped around his waist with a sudden surprising strength, and her arms hugged his neck, trapping him inside her, trying to hold him forever, as they both reached climax for the first time.  
  
"Ranma.!!!"  
  
"Akane.!!!"  
  
  
  
**********************************************************  
  
  
  
She woke up to the early morning sunrise, alone on the floor mat. She rose quickly, sitting up, worried that he had gone already. He was sitting their, across from her, on the floor, dressed in the black shirt she had bought for him and never given, the one with the silver dragon spiraling around it, and that odd black coat with the Chinese designs. He was within arms reach, and as she stared at him, he leaned forward suddenly and kissed her, with all of the passion they had shared last night. It was over far to quickly for Akane's liking. When he drew back, tears fell from his eyes.  
  
"Ranma."  
  
"Goodbye Akane. I love you. I always have, and always will." And with that he was up and running, leaping out the windows, and into the early morning day.  
  
"RANMA!!!" She wrapped the sheets around herself and ran down stairs, and past her family and friends as they ate breakfast, and she looked for him across the yard. Tears fell from her own eyes, and her body shook with fighting back the sobs. "Ranma."  
  
"Akane! Your Walking!" She didn't know who said it, and did not care. All she knew was that the man she was meant to love was gone, and that she was going to be alone for the rest of her live. She prayed silently that everyone who had taken him from her got exactly what they deserved from him.  
  
  
  
The End. For the moment.  
  
  
  
Authors Notes: I moved across the nation twice, had job problems, had financial problems, and got a girlfriend/now fiancée. I've been busy damn it. But here it is. time to finish this story and I am going to knock it out, because I don't want to be a quitter. Plus everyone seems to love this story.  
  
Alright, about this chapter. Ranma can heal. He doesn't know how consciously, but he can. The Crow had Eric forcing the heroin strait out of someone's arm. Ranma has a lot more control of his Ki and can naturally heal himself much faster than other people. How else do you explain how fast he recovers in the anime and mangas.  
  
And oh my goodness. Akane and Ranma made love. Damn right. They deserve it more than anyone. I healed Akane as best as I could, so Akane fans rejoice. She might even get luckier, by the end.  
  
Well. Tell me what you like and what you want to see and feel needs improving in reviews where you find this story posted and by e-mailing me at darkangel98s@hotmail.com. You have nothing better to do than be mean and flame me, you can fucking DIE!!!!  
  
Thank you for reading. PEACE Darkangel98s 


	8. The Dangers of Being One of the Heros

Crow 1/2:Dragons Rising  
  
Chapter 8:Dangers of Being One of the Heroes  
  
By Darkangel98s   
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of this. I just took a lot of familiar material and put it into a story of my design. Not doing this for profit, and if you try too sue me for money, I have just one thing to say to you. Blood from a turnip man. Blood from a turnip. So piss off.  
  
Disclaimer P.S.: Well this is and angry story, so the disclaimer gets to be angry as well.  
  
The Dojo was silent. The morning was cold, colder than this time of year should have been. Akane stood in the cold morning sunlight, long black hair blowing loose in the wind behind her, looking off into the sunrise, after the man she loved as he went about his dark task of redemption.   
  
"Ramna…" Her silent prayers and wishes traveled with her whispered calling of his name.  
  
"Akane! You're walking!" Her father had broken the silence of the others behind her, and she felt him more than anything as he and the other s ran forward, sweeping her up into their arms, hugs and tears from all. Her eyes never left the horizon.   
  
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Cologne stood silently watching the events of that morning unfold, as Ranma left from the Tendo compound. And she studied him for the first time unmolested. She felt his energy, his dark power, and finally knew what it was. In her three hundred years of life, she had encountered the undead before, though none with the vitality and sheer presence of Ranma. Yet even as she thought that, images of her dreams, of that horrible day in here youth came back, and she shivered.   
  
She hopped from her perch, and away, into the streets, heading to the back alley Chinese triad doctor she had associated with since coming to America. Her Shampoo's father still needed tending and she needed sleep and information. One she could get back at the doctors, the other, she feared would only be found within those memories she had long suppressed.  
  
Shampoo must be rescued, and that damned Ranma put to rest for the final time. However he had managed it, she would make sure he never came back, and that he paid for every indignity he caused her great-granddaughter.   
  
She cast one brief look back at the Tendo's and smiled wickedly. At least the undead fool had one weakness still. And she knew how to use that weakness already. With a morbid chuckle, she leapt away in a flickering blur, heading towards answers she hoped she were ready to face.  
  
*************************************************************  
  
Mousse sat grinning madly at the box before him, and it's small mewing purple package. Ranma had dropped it before entering battle with Sansuke and his ninjas, and now, after so very long, Shampoo was in his possession.   
  
He was sitting in a small, dark little apartment near the waterfront. It was his home, being cheap and in a place where no one ever asks questions, no matter what they saw or heard. His kind of place, as of late.   
  
He picked up his new package and winced at the pain in his chest from where Ranma had struck him. He wore no shirt, and had bandages tightly wound around his chest. The Kuno's doctor was no Ono Tofu, but he was not bad either. Mousse was already feeling better from the night's activities, and was already entertaining several wicked ideas for revenge. He shook the box and heard Shampoo mew louder as she bounced about. Revenge on more than just Ranma.   
  
He tossed the box on the floor and scooped up the kettle of hot water he had heating on a hot plate beside him. He loved the fact that Shampoo never had cloths when she changed back to human. He dumped the water over the box, and grinned as her firm, very naked body burst forth from the box, showing him all of the assets he had dreamed of since she had first began to develop as a young woman.  
  
He leered at her well rounded, almost goddess-like figure, and she blushed, untangling herself from the box fragments and chains that had kept her bound  
  
*What do you think you are looking at Mu Shu. I do not know why you have saved me, but it doesn't give you the right to stare at my body, you stupid duck b…* She had been rising as she spoke, but was sent flying as Mousse struck her, for the first time for real.   
  
Shampoo looked up at her former childhood friend, and wanna-be suitor, and was afraid of him for the first time. He had a hateful gleam to his eyes and a wicked smile on his face. *Mu Shu… What…?*  
  
"Knock off the Chinese *Xan Pu*. You and that old woman made sure that I am no longer part of the tribe, I am no longer a Chinese Amazon. I am a man with no country, no past, and no future. I am no one…" He looked sad for just a moment, and lowered his eyes, slumping slightly, as if so tired from what life had done to him. A lot of that she had done to him herself.  
  
She rose and padded to him silently, and ran a hand softly down one cheek. He looked up into her eyes. *Mu Shu, I am so sorry. For those things I did to you. For being who I was, and how I was for so long. I am sorry I could not return your love like you wanted.*  
  
"Oh I know *Xan Pu*, just how sorry you are going to be…" He struck her a second time, moving so fast even she could not follow. "You know, I have been in darkness for this past year. First the murder of Ranma, then countless others for the Kunos. So many, even I have lost track. Theft, deception, paid killing."  
  
She felt the blood running slowly down from her split lip, and looked up at a man who she very acutely aware of now as being stronger than she was. His eyes gleamed with a crazy lust that sent her scurrying away from him as he stalked towards her.   
  
"There have been so many women since you *Xan Pu* Mainly while on business in China, but some here. Women willing to do anything for a few dollars, who looked like you, with your… bountiful gifts. Professional women, who knew what to do with men. And after I was finished… the urges came. And I showed them the monster I had become."   
  
She swung at him, trying to hurt him, but he caught her fist in his, and grinned even wider, licking his lips. "Let me show you the monster I have become. Let me show you the monster that you have made me." He grabber her hair and pulled her into a fierce kiss. "You are mine in the only way I want you anymore."  
  
No one came to her aid as her screams echoed down the hallway of the tiny apartment building. No one cared, no one wanted to care…  
  
*************************************************  
  
Akane was in the dojo, sweat pouring down her face as she leapt into another attack against Ryoga. They exchanged a brief series of blows before she backed off. Ryoga had not even broken a sweat yet, but she was exhausted, pushed past her restored bodies strength. But she did not want to stop. It was like a dream come true, to be able to walk, to kick, to fight again.   
  
She held up her hand, and laughed briefly. "Ok, ok. I give. I can't beat you. Not that I expected to." She fell over and lay down on the dojo's floor smiling up at the ceiling. Ryoga came and sat down beside her, cross-legged.  
  
"Are you sure you should be pushing yourself so hard, Akane? I mean…" He went silent, not knowing how to say what he wanted to.  
  
"Yes I am sure. Whatever happened between me and Ranma seems to have helped me recover, made me strong again. Maybe it had something to with how his new powers linked us last night. Maybe he just figured out how to share that healing you serious martial arts types all seem to have." She shrugged, and ran her hands down across her legs again. "It still feels weird, ya know."  
  
He was watching her intently, noting the slight change in how she spoke. A few times since this morning, she had begun to use some of Ranma's mannerisms, and the first few times, it made him do a double take. Now he was getting a little worried. "So, what DID happen between the two of you last night?"  
  
"We had sex."  
  
She was so matter of fact, that it did not register for a moment. "Oh…WHAT!?!"  
  
"Jeeze, Ryoga. You know I wasn't a virgin."  
  
"Akane. I-I-I-I didn't mean…" He did not want to bring up her abuse by the Kuno's, but she looked up at him with eyes that were a little sad, but not like he would have thought.  
  
"I know you didn't Ryoga. I know YOU of all people never would. But despite how I lost it, it was gone long before last night." She sat up and hugged her legs. "I loved Ranma with all of my heart. There were just so many people in the way between us, and too many stupid and childish hang ups between us."  
  
"Akane…"   
  
"I need to get this out Ryoga. Please, as my best friend." Her eyes were watery, but her voice strong, sure.  
  
  
  
He nodded his assent, and patted her hand softly. "Of course Akane." He wrapped his arms around his own knees, and watched her carefully, unsure how to do anything but listen.  
  
"Ranma, for so long was nothing but an annoyance to me. At least I always thought that. I mean, sometimes it seemed he would go SO far out of his way to be a jerk. He made me so mad on a daily basis, that for a while I though for sure that I hated him." She wiped her hand at a loose tear that ran down her cheek. "Maybe I did for a while. But then there were times that he would do things I could not understand. Put himself on the line, risk injury and death to protect me, rage against those that would hurt me or try and take me away from him.   
  
"He loved me first. That pig headed jerk loved me before I loved him. Maybe he did from day one he did. But he didn't know how to express himself. I mean with Genma as a dad, could you blame him for not knowing how to act around a girl? Always traveling, always with men. A poor role model for a father figure. He only knew how to be the man his father was."  
  
"But he tried. As hard as he could, to express his feelings for me, in the only way he knew how. Like his always fighting with me. Or his fighting with anyone who even remotely showed interest in me." She grinned a small, private little smile. "And he tried to figure out how to act around me. I remember after the fight with the Orochi, when he awkwardly took my hand, or the first Christmas present he gave me. Or when he finally said he loved me, after Saffron."   
  
"I began to love him. More and more every day. And after the failed wedding, I could not see myself with anyone but Ranma. Some days I would just wish that we had made it, and had been married, so I could be his wife forever." She wiped one more tiny tear from her eyes, and looked him directly.  
  
"I loved him with all of my heart. I would have spent my life with him. I wanted him, dreamed of him as my first. Some days I just wanted to drag him into a quiet place and be with him." She punched the floor, with some force. "Kuno and Kodachi took that from me, from both of us. Stole my gift to him, and stole him from me."  
  
"Akane…"  
  
"No. I have to finish. Last night… Last night was like it could have been a year ago. Should have been between Ranma and I. I made love to him, and had him hold me in his arms, and everything was right for just a brief while in both of our lives. I got to be with the man I love, truly with him in every since of the word."  
  
"I probably won't get to see him again. He will finish with the Kuno's and Cologne, and and go back to being dead, and I will go back to being alone. But I can go on now. Live my life like I should have, before last year. I am only sad that I won't get a chance to grow old with him…"  
  
"I don't Believe you will have to worry about growing old, with or with out Ranma, little girl."   
  
Both Ryoga and Akane tried to rise to their feet at the sound of Cologne's voice, but it was too late, she was striking already, and Akane heard Ryoga scream in agony before blackness jumped up around her.  
  
*****************************************************  
  
Cologne left the Tendo home in shambles, and everyone in bad shape, Akane slung over one shoulder. She cleared the wall easily, leaping into the air, and away, towards her new base of operations, a small house that she had rented that had a very lovely basement, and skylights.   
  
Her sleep had been very helpful, restoring her mind and body, as well as giving her the final clue to the puzzle. For she had seen the face of the man from long ago that had nearly wiped out her village, a man she had known intimately, whom had said he loved her like no other could, who she had ordered the death of. Happosai.   
  
A little study of what she could gather from her books from the Neko Hanten had told her the rest of what she needed to know. She knew who and what she faced, she knew his strengths and weaknesses, all of his tricks. She also knew how to rob him of that power that death gave him. Maybe even take it for herself, if she were careful.   
  
She needed only a little time to prepare, and then he could come, for she would be ready to put him to rest for good. Revenge was good.   
  
*********************************************************  
  
Mousse rose from the bed where he had been laying with the battered and naked Shampoo, and turned to give her a none to gentle smack on the ass. She mewed as she had as a cat, and scooted away from him, pulling tighter into a ball.   
  
  
  
"Only two more people to take care of. The old bitch and the corpse. Those are going to be tougher than you were, but some how I doubt as much fun." He looked back at her and smiled. "I think I am ready again. Come here…." Her whimpering began anew, and he laughed. "No, not nearly as fun."  
  
************************************************************  
  
Ukyou and Konatsu had just returned from the police station, where they had reported the destruction of Ucchan's and the horrid discovery of close to thirty dead ninja types around the burned out remains. The police bought it hook line and sinker with the distruscion of the Neko Hanten last night as well. They would be contacting them again soon with information for the insurance company.   
  
With the ninja situation handled and Akane seemingly better, Ukyou had been looking forward to a little quiet time with her new boyfriend, but sadly that was never to happen. The old Amazon had appeared as if by magic, sliding between them lashing out to hurt, to maim. They did not stand a chance against her as she beat them. It was over truly before it even started.  
  
As Ukyou regained her senses, head ringing from a sharp blow to the temple, she found it difficult to move, from weight pinning her down. She opened her eyes and found Konatsu in the Late evening sun streaming through the door. The blood pouring down from the wound across the back of his head had already soaked her shirt to the skin, sticking it to her and dried to thick crusts. His eyes were glazed and fixed on her, and she suddenly she felt a wave of horror and sorrow hit her like a knife to the chest.  
  
"Your justice has been served Ukyou. For what you did, for what you were going to do, you have received exactly what you deserve." Tears filled her eyes like rivers, and she turned to face Ranma, who stood in the doorway, watching her with hate filled eyes. "You loose the one you love, just like you helped to do to   
  
Akane. You loose Konatsu…"  
  
Authors Notes:  
  
Wow! Do I suck at putting these out or what? I think so. I am trying to rework the story process just a little, so that I am going to hit all the plot holes. Whoa... How am I going to do that? For the first time ever, I am going to do just a tiny bit of work before hand.   
  
The story is also going to take a serious darker turn. I hope you understand why. THe next couple of episodes are also going to bring out a little bit more of the true personalities of the Ranma cast, just so I can stray back into character a little, so this will stay a Ranma story.  
  
This chapter blows. Even I admit that. But there isn't a lot I can do about that. I worte it exactly like I wrote the others, just sat down and cranked out the whole thing in just a day. No editing, no pre-planning.   
  
Oh yea. To those of you that don't like this story, and don't like it. TOO BAD! I don't care, and I am not going stop writing them just because some people don't like them. As a side note, if you think I have no writing talent, the look up my name on fanfiction.net . That is darkangel98s and the stories are what a day, and the way things were, both true to character Ranma stories, and EL-hazard: ancients dreams, which stays true to character for over a dozen characters at the same time, and is a wonderful story besides.   
  
Oh yes. One other thing. I am going to start doing a readwer poll at the end of all my stories, just so I can find out a little about my readers. Please put your very brief response at the end of your review.  
  
My comment is, with all of the Not too shabby superhero comics made movies that are coming out. WHich comics and or characters would you all like to see receive the Hollywood big screen treatment. Personally for me, I would think Ghostrider, or maybe Deaths Head. Both were entertaining comics. 


	9. Unhappy Dreams and a little bit of the o

The Crow 1/2 : Dragons Rising

By

Darkangel98

Disclaimer

Darkangel98s and Dark Angel Studios do not own the rights to nor challenge the rights of the copyrighted materials within this work of fan fiction. This is a work of non profit love. Don't sue me, cause all I have is my laptop, and you REALLY don't want my Mac. Besides, it is my wife's anyway.

Authors notes will follow the chapter.

Chapter 9

Unhappy Dreams and a little bit of the old Ultra Violence.

Ukyou looked up at Ranma from beneath the rapidly cooling body of her recently found love Konatsu, and she felt the tears rolling down her cheeks. He towered over her, dark blue jacket hanging low hiding his hands, the silver dragon on his black silk shirt seemed to writhe on his chest glowing in the fading sun light like fire. It seemed to match the fire of hate and rage that filled Ranma's eyes. He took a slow step forward, and she began to whimper.

Her hands wrapped in Konatsu's hair, and she hugged her face to him.

"... Please...please... don't... Don't be dead... Don't hurt us... "

"That is how Akane begged, as they cut her face, as they raped her." He took another step forward. She began to cry in earnest, fear and sorrow overwhelming her. Her body shook hard with each sob, and her tears mixed with the blood from the head injury that had killed Konatsu and ran down her face in scarlet trails. "This is the fear that Akane felt as they killed me, and tried to kill her. The fear you and your friends put her through."

"NO! NO! I... I didn't! I never hurt her... I told everyone what was happening..." She felt Konatsu's body suddenly be torn from her grasp, and she had no choice but to look up, into the face of Ranma. He threw the dead body hard, and it slammed into the wall with a sickening thud, blood spraying from the head injury with the force of the impact, decorating the wall in a crimson fan, and she screamed. "Konatsu!!!"

She started to move, to rush to his body, when Ranma knelt down, seeming to appear before her like a ghost. She froze, looking into those eyes that gleamed like the flaming hells of Yoma, and she could not move. His hand slowly traced across her cheek, down the line of red tears, and she felt memories overwhelm her.

"You help us yes? Get rid of Akane, steal Ranma away. Then you and me fight to see who get Husband.."

She heard shampoo's voice, and looked over Ranma's shoulder. Her heart froze at the scene of her and Shampoo sitting on a bench in the park near her restaurant. They were looking over the pond near her restaurant as they talked. She remembered the day with aching clarity.

The memory Ukyou turned and looked at Shampoo and watched her for a moment. "That's it? We kidnap Ranma, then fight to see who keeps him. Doesn't seem very smart sugar. I don't think Ranma is going to go for us just stealing him away like that."

Shampoo looked at her and smiled brightly. "Is no problem. Me have magic potion that make Ranma love whomever kiss him first. Ranma love on of us after fight."

Ukyou smiled at the though to Ramna all to herself finally, but before she agreed, she had one more question. "How are you going to get rid of Akane. I don't really like her, but I would feel bad if something happened to her."

"Again, is no problem, silly spatula girl. The Kuno's help us with Akane." She remembered the strange smile on Shampoo's lips, and she saw her memory self shudder at it.

Ranma suddenly grabbed her hair, and twisted her face back to his. His eyes held that strange fiery glow still, and he was grinning rather morbidly. "You are a martial artist. Trained to read people, to sense when something was not right. You felt it then. YOU KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG!"

"I..I.. I didn't!"

"YOU KNEW!"

Ranma wrenched her head back around, to look behind them again. She saw the school grounds, and she was talking to a friend of hers when she saw Kuno. They memory people were only a few feet behind Ranma, and she could see everything in such detail. Kuno looked strange, and even the real her could sense the strange aura rolling of the swordsman. He was staring off into the distance, at something. Ukyou's friend seemed creeped out and excused herself.

Ukyou was curious, however, and walked over to where Kuno stood. "Hey Kuno... What's up?" She turned to stare in the direction where Kuno was looking, and saw Ranma and Akane leaning against the wall near the school gate, talking. She felt a brief flash of anger. She was fixing to say something about it to Kuno when he turned and looked at her. The real Ukyou knew exactly what the memory Ukyou was seeing that made her take a step back. Madness. She had never seen it before, not like this, but she had recognized it immediately. He stared at her, and she braced for an attack, but he simply turned and walked away, slowly, as if in a dream.

Ranma's hand was around her throat, and she was lifted into the air. He snarled into her face, and she felt her heart race even as her breath was cut off. Her hands made a feeble attempt to fend him off, beating his overwhelming strength like a dying birds wings. "Strike two Ukyou. You knew something was very wrong. We were right there, you could have told us what they were planning right then."

She watched as blood suddenly began to run down his face, pouring slowly across his face, and she suddenly realized he looked like the broken and dead body they had found when they had broken into the warehouse and fought off the Kuno siblings and Mousse. His eyes were glassy and lifeless except for that flame in their depths. He was a corpse again, choking the life from her, and she felt the room spinning. She heard the crow cry out, it's voice like a dagger into her heart, and she heard Akane scream. No memory people walked out to do a play this time. She simply saw in her minds eyes as she walked around the corner to the meeting place where they were going to ambush Akane, and she saw with a chilling clarity Shampoo dodge the furious Akane's attacks, leap over the girl and before the Tendo could track her, lash out with a brutal kick that nearly bowed Akane in half. Her heart died as the audible crack of Akane's spine filled the air, and the girls scream as pain overwhelmed her.

Mousse and Sansuke had both been there, watching. She had panicked, afraid of fighting all of them, afraid of what they might do to her if she tried to stop them.. She ran away, ran to get help, ran to fix the mistake she had made.

Ranma suddenly released her, and she hit the floor with a resounding thud, and turned and walked away, his head was split open, and he was a gruesome and horrifying sight. He glanced back at her, and pain exploded from her wrists, and the deep cuts she made there in her suicide attempt were suddenly open again, and her life blood flowed free.

"I can not do more to you than what you have done to yourself. Your sins have been redeemed in my eyes. You with have to deal with what you have done on your own." The crow was on his shoulder in a flutter of wings, and it looked at her with the eyes of the dead. She began to drag herself across the floor, body quivering with sobs, bleeding profusely, vision blurry. She tried to reach Konatsu, tried to take him in her arms, and hold her as the end came."

"Ukyou..." She froze, and slowly looked around. Ranma was gone. "Ukyou..." She slowly turned her head, and looked to Konatsu. His head slowly turned to look at her, and his eyes were those of the crows. "Ukyou!"

She screamed.

Konatsu was shaking Ukyou, trying to wake her up from her bad dream when she suddenly screamed and bolted upright. She saw him, and screamed even louder, and he wrapped his arms around her. After a moments hesitation her arms wrapped around him, and held him tight. He sat there, holding her as she cried, body almost convulsing as she wept. He had no idea what was happening, but he was doing his best to be what she needed.

Ryoga and Soun rushed in, the younger man's arm in a sling. Both froze when they saw the couple crying, and Konatsu motioned for them to leave. They watched them for a moment, and then backed out quietly. Her held her close, and waited for her to calm down. They stayed that way for close to a half hour, before she pulled her self from his arms. She looked into his eyes, and ran a hand though his hair. She hit a lump on the back of his head, and he winced, and she traced around it gently. "You... Your alive."

"Yes. I don't think Cologne wanted anyone but Akane." He saw her look of confusion. "Cologne. She came here and attacked us. I hate to say it, but we really got our butts kicked. She took us all out, and took Akane with her."

She still looked confused, and he reached up his own hand, and brushed her cheek and she felt a stab of pain. "I am not surprised that you don't remember. She hit you first, and took you out of the fight." He smiled weakly. "I did not last much longer."

"She took Akane?"

"Yea. Ryoga is pretty sure that she did it to lure Ranma to her. As bad a mistake as that is going to be."

Ukyou was silent for a moment, before looking at him. "I have something to tell you. I have to tell you about what I did to Akane and Ranma." He started to speak, but she put a finger to his lips. "Ranma knows. I think... I think the dream I had was part of him that touched me. It made me face what I had done. He let me live..." She kissed him suddenly, softly. "You have given me a reason to live... But I need know if you can except me for what I did."

He nodded and Ukyou took a deep breath, and began to confess to him.

Cologne sat watching an angry Akane as she sat in a corner, hands and feet bound. She smiled at the girl, and puffed on a long, slender pipe, before sipping some tea from the cup beside her. She had changed cloths from the green and red dress she usually wore, and now wore a dark green blouse and pants similar in style to Shampoo's, meant more for fighting than her normal cloths. She looked overly pleased with herself.

"Well, girly. You don't seem too worried that a dangerous old women like myself has you in her hands." She blew a smoke ring and grinned at Akane again. "I would certainly be scared if I were in your place."

"It doesn't matter what you do to me. Torture me, kill me. You can do all of that. You can't avoid justice however, and what ever you do to me, Ranma will repay on you a thousand fold, ya old ghoul." Cologne poured herself some more tea, and added a teaspoon of honey to it, stirring it slowly as she watched the girl.

"Would you like to hear a story about my childhood?"

"What?"

"A story from three hundred years ago, from my days in China. It is a an old story, but one I am sure you will find relevant, given our current situation." Akane said nothing, simply glared at her, and she chuckled softly. "I feel really silly for not remembering it in the first place, but then again, as I said earlier, it was three hundred years ago. It took these recent events and a few special dreaming techniques to remember it fully, but I am sure you will see why it is so important."

She sent another puff wafting towards the ceiling, and tapped the pipe out on an ashtray nearby. "Smoking is such a nasty habit. Shortens your days. Not that that will be a problem soon, if I have my way. But I get off topic."

She sipped the hot tea and smiled. "I was a beautiful woman once. Quite the catch." Akane snorted, and Cologne glared, before continuing. "I was desired by all the men in my village, but it was one that took my heart. He defeated all challengers, and beat me in fair combat, though it had been close. It was decided that he would be allowed to court me, as his strength would add to our clan's own. This was before it was law that you had to marry anyone who beat you in fair combat. At the time it earned you a chance to woo the woman."

"It was Happosai, wasn't it?" Akane look at her, curious despite her hate of the woman, and having heard a little of the story.

Cologne nodded. "He was a different man then. Strong, proud, honorable. He was a letch even then, but it was more the burning of a young man in his prime that the perversion it is today. And he was strong in a way few were. Martial arts were his passion, and he was a gifted and capable fighter." She smiled faintly at the memory. "I was actually quite taken by him, and he with me. He did his best to win me over, by showing me his strength, romancing me, and he treated me as an equal. This was quite a different thing for a woman of my tribe. This was a man who would stand his ground, argue with me and not back down. It was quite an... arousing difference." Akane made a disgusted face, and Cologne ignored it.

"Happi made my heart glad, and I wanted to show him how much I loved him." She sipped the tea again, and her face took on a more somber tone. "I took him to see our tribes treasures, the magical artifacts we had made and taken over the years. I even, in my naivete, gave him one, as a token of my love."

"What it did was not important, but it was very precious to my tribes elders. My mother, the chief of the tribe at the time raged, and in my fear I told them that Happosai had stolen the artifact. I was afraid, and in my panic I condemned him to death." She began to pack the pipe again, and Akane was watching her.

"It was not my intention to do this, but it happened. The best warriors of my clan set out, with me in tow, and we hunted my beloved. When we found him, he greeted me with open arms. The treasure, a bracelet, was on his arm, and they screamed for his death. He was surprised, but a brilliant fighter, and he managed to fend them off for a long time. He went down, and from the place where I had watched them beat him mercilessly, I leapt and fended off a mortal blow to be delivered from my mother. I was badly injured, and could not stop them as they beat his to death, slowly."

"WHAT!?!"

"Happosai was beaten to death. Are you deaf, girly?"

"But..." Akane looked shocked and confused.

"You see, while I was recovering from my injuries, I became ill from infection. The fever made my memories about the time a little blurry, but I remember some of it." She smiled sadly. "Happosai came back from the dead, much like our Ranma has. The crow and all. He came back for revenge, and began killing plowing through or villages best forces. He came for me, had me at his mercy as my village burning around us. And he did not kill me. His love stayed his hand, and he did spare me..." She looked at Akane then, and she saw the evil that had grown in the woman over the years. She grinned. "I saw something then. Something very important you see. I saw Happosai's weakness. It is Ranma's weakness as well. I watched Happosai sever his ties to the afterlife... I watched him kill his crow."

Akane's eyes were wide with fear as she watched the old woman cackle.

Kuno sat staring at his newly hired assassins and smiled briefly. They were a ragged and varied lot, but they would serve him very well. They were, after all, the very best money could , just as a Kuno deserved.

He looked them over carefully, ignoring the sounds of his sister as she went at it with several of the guards. There was the big American in light tan military uniform with one of those little Australian hats that folded up on one side. He was very impressive with massive minigun. Then there was a fellow Japanese swordsman, he was styled like a traditional Samurai, although he was currently loading bullets into a gun built into his sheath. There were those two fellow on the end dressed in matching silver and gold leotards and masks. The carried only metal gauntlets, and had not said a word since they had arrived. Speaking of not speaking, the same could be said of the two blond German twins. They were both dressed in black, both blond and pale skinned. Only the fact that one was huge and the other short even by Asian standards made them different. The last was a small, scowling man with wild spiked black hair, dressed in a blue tanktop and matching pants, long white gloves, and heavy armored white boots. He made, by far, the most impressive specimen, with ki pretty much rolling off of him.

He waved his hand, and they all turned and left, and he smiled as he walked over to his sister. He grabbed her hair and twisted her head up, tongue probing deep in her mouth, hands running over her sweaty body as she fucked the man beneath her. It was good to be the bad guy...

Ranma stood before the Kuno compound gates, and grinned. He could hear the men inside. Could sense the guards nervousness and fear. They knew he was coming, and were worried what was going to happen when he arrived. They had heard about the ninja's. Good. He was itching for a fight.

He pressed his hand against the door, and closed his eyes, focusing his ki. It spilled around him and through him. Where ever the crow was, lack of its presence was not effecting his power. Just his healing. With his new speed and strength, it would take a thousand armed guards to stop him. Ki flared through his arms, through his hands , and he shoved outwards with both hands.

The gate exploded off of its hinges. They flew through the air and plowed into the ground. One bounced up, slamming straight through a house wall and inside. The other slammed into the ground, digging up dirt and rock like a bulldozer. The dirt and debris covered poor guard as he stood there, waiting to die from the doors impact. As the dirt settled he looked up, and the massive wood and iron door had stopped moving only inches from him. He felt warm urine trickle down his leg, and he fell down, legs collapsing from fright. He crab crawled away from the door as it tipped, and it creaked and collapsed slamming into where he had just standing.

Ranma watched with a certain perverse satisfaction, and slowly he began to walk forward. His head was down, his bangs hiding his face, his arms were held straight out to his side at shoulder height. He walked forward, ignoring as the guards cocked numerous guns. His stride never wavered. His face was split in a wild grin as the excitement began to overtake him. All the martial artists he had touched and absorbed something from were filling him, flowing through him. A joy and lust for the fight, especially against so many, swelled up. He would get to finally go all out, fight at his full potential here. If they surrendered, he would let them. But if they attacked.

"I have come only for Tatiwaki and Kodachi. There lives are mine for the sins they have done..." He slowly walked up a small foot bridge that crossed a Koi pond and he stopped moving. "I will let you leave in peace. Your sins are not mine to reckon with. It you seek to stop me, however... I will not let you leave. None of you..." He threw up his head and laughed, and several took a step back. His voice roared with power. "What is your choice?"

A man in the back lifted a small box, and twisted the plunger sitting on the top. He shoved it in with great force, and in the silence following Ranma's question made the sharp electrical pop from the box very loud in contrast. The bridge detonated with a sudden spray of wood and water. Everything was disintegrated in the blast.

The men cheered, and relief filled their voices. They had slain the beast. They were patting each other on the back, and smiling.

"I see you have made your choice..." Everyone went silent suddenly, and turned slowly. They found Ranma, now in girl form, the short, well build redhead bleeding from shrapnel and cuts standing on the wall. Her face had the same wild gleeful look the male had. Fear ran through them. "And you have left me no choice..."

Their guns opened fire, but Ranma was no longer there. She had thought he was fast as a man, but his girl half was faster by far. Her movement left a blurred after image of herself as she lunged sideways. She dropped off the wall and was on top of the closest guards before they full knew what was happening. She grabbed the first gun, twisting the pistol back, snapping his finger, and punched the goons arm at the elbow, shattering it. The man was just beginning to scream when Ranma fired two shots from the mans gun, which was still tied up in his broken finger, killing the man at the rear. She Kicked a new man right in front of her in the knee, breaking it and dropping him down. She twisted the gun, broken finger and arm around, putting another round in the kneeling man. She turned spinning the in a circle, hearing the wet ripping sound of bone grinding through flesh, and jammed the gun under it's owners jaw, and put a bullet though his brain. She turned a circle, throwing the body by the arm and a small group of guards across the way, Spying a guard on the main houses roof trying to follow her, she let the gun fly with all of her strength, and was rewarded by a wet explosion from the man as it crushed his face.

"Yes!" Ranma pumped her arm, and spun. It felt good to cut loose. She looked over the remaining guards, and found them all pointing their guns at her. She dropped into the traditional Saotome school fighting posture, and held one hand out, and motioned for them to attack. Their guns opened up, and Ranma did not move.

She tracked the bullets as they moved, fast but dodgeable in small numbers. There were hundreds being fired. Ranma jerked to the side as fast as she could, tearing up huge trails of dirt at the super fast movement as the first bullets began to tear through where she was. Her hand shot out, and a Moko Takabishi ripped forth, tearing into a cluster of guards. Someone had a rocket launcher and fired it, the explosion blowing Ranma off course, in the air. Several bullets clipped her, burning white hot trails through her flesh. The blast blew dust and smoke around her, hiding her from view, and the guards continued to open fire, many reloading as others emptied their clips.

Ranma was lost in the haze, and someone started throwing flashbang grenades. The blinding flashes and deafening reports made the smoke worst, and they just continued to rain firepower into where their foe was. It took them several moments to stop. Most having run low on ammo, and sliding home the last of their ammunition. They looked through the air filled with the smoke of so many rounds being fired, and were confident they had killed the strange boy/girl.

"AHHHHHHHHH!!!" The battle cry tore the air, and they saw the raging red flare of Ranma's battle aura sweep up, and snap out like huge wings, blowing the smoke clear. She stood there, Crimson energy swirling around her,, bleeding now from a dozen would, and they broke, trying to flee. She roared again, and fell upon the. They tried shooting, but she was among them, every punch and kick shattering bone and taking life. They could no run, as she released Moko Takabishi one after the other, ran them down, broke them like kindling,.

With a final punch, low to the stomach that bent the man in half, and blew blood and fluid from his body from all openings, spraying her body with it's hot wetness, and her blood soaked body flowed, changing into the man he had started as. He stood there for a moment, heart racing, breath coming in long draws, and looked up at the main compound.

"KUNO!!!"

The guard who had survived the door ran out the main gate, barely escaping notice. He had made it where all of his friends had died. He was going to survive. He did not even notice when Mousse appeared beside him, and in a graceful spin, took his head clean from his neck. The sword did a quick dance across the mans shirt before he had managed to collapse to clean off the blood. It disappeared where all the rest of Mousse's weapons seem to go, and he turned to look at the destroyed wall, and Ranma standing among the dead.

"Go on, dog. Kill the Kunos. Kill them all. And after you are done, I'll be here to pick up the leftovers. I'll Take your still warm head to my new pet, and let her know what happens when you cross Me.."

Authors notes

Sorry this took a year. I wrote three versions of this story, and had all three destroyed. Very sorry. It is VERY hard for me to write something I have written already again, and try four took a lot longer than any of the others.

Authors Poll for this story is just a simple question. Do you think that the U.S. is going to give Naruto the royal Rogering it gave One Piece?


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